EU urged to scrap farming set-aside

Farmers have asked Brussels to scrap set-aside across Europe for the first time since the surplus-reduction measure was introduced in 1992, in order to avoid shortages of wheat and other cereals next year.

Strong demand from Asia, drought in Australia and growing demand for biofuels have slashed Europe’s reserves this year to almost nothing and demand is still rising.

Last year’s cereal harvest for the EU’s 27 member states was 268 million tons and was forecast to reach 275 million tons this year until heavy rain made experts revise estimates downwards by six million tons.

At the Royal Show it was revealed that the European farmers’ organisation, COPA, of which the National Farmers’ Union is a member, has unanimously decided to ask EU agriculture ministers to set at zero next year the amount of land growing nothing.

Telegraph