Vital role of EU farm supply co-operatives emphasised

EU farm supply co-operatives play a key role in ensuring their members have access to the best possible services and inputs that are vital to farm production at a competitive cost, the head of their umbrella body has told a forum in Berlin.

Christian Pèes, president of Cogeca, which represents 40,000 EU co-ops, said farmers can rely on their societies to ensure access to the best inputs as well as to specialist technical services and consultation.

Such effective support provided by farm supply co-ops enables EU farmers to contribute to productivity growth and to meet major food supply and environmental challenges.

Through continuous support and tailor-made solutions farmer supply co-ops ensure that European agriculture is innovative.

“As markets globalise, farm supply co-ops develop at EU level and adapt to improve their competitive position at international level,” said Mr Pèes.

“Faced with increasing global competition there is more pressure on them to provide cost-effective solutions for farmers,” he said.

He said farm supply co-operatives are rapidly expanding at international level and taking advantage of the opportunities for growth in Europe as well as in emerging markets.

However, they also need to co-operate with local farmers and other partners in the food chain, to be successful and gain new markets.

“There is also an increase in mergers and acquisitions to enable them to expand and meet the increasing competition,” he said.