Europe targets growth in agricultural exports

The EU will bid to capitalise on its food quality by increasing aid for agricultural exports from €61m in the 2013 budget to €200m in 2020.

“Enjoy, it’s from Europe” is the slogan for the proposed export initiative that aims to help the sector’s professionals break into international markets and make consumers more aware of the efforts made by European farmers to provide quality products.

“In a world in which consumers are increasingly aware of the safety, quality and sustainability of food production methods, European farmers and small- or medium-sized enterprises are in a position of strength,” said European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Dacian Ciolos.

“The European agricultural and agri-food sector is well-known for the unrivalled quality of its products and its compliance with standards that are unmatched anywhere else in the world. With over €110bn worth of exports already, this is a formidable asset for boosting growth and employment within the EU.”

A new agency is to be tasked with opening up markets for agricultural products abroad.