New EU aid measures adjustable for each state

Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney said this week’s EU support measures for dairy and pigmeat sectors reflected most of the demands presented by Ireland.

He said doubling the dairy intervention ceiling is very significant — along with EU Commissioner Phil Hogan’s undertaking to consider further support for the pigmeat sector, further market support for skimmed milk powder, and further flexibilities in state aids to farmers.

He said he has asked the commission to consider temporary suspension of import tariffs on fertiliser, which would save farmers over €1bn in unnecessary input costs, according to a report commissioned by IFA.