The measures are aimed at recovery of demand, promotion to increase consumption, and charge reduction. The sector performs duties directed at a strong market position for Dutch products on the home market, more promotion, and the offer of apples and pears to foodbanks. Fresh Produce Centre and the NFO call upon the Cabinet of the Netherlands and the House of Representatives to step up and normalize the trade relations with Russia, to improve the EU intervention regulation for fruit and vegetables, to promote an equal court with fair competition within the European Union, and to invest in the stimulation of the fruit consumption, together with the fruit growers and retail businesses, which is in accordance with the policy of State Secretary Van Dam.
Millions of Euros of damage
The chairmen Michiel Gerritsen of the NFO and Kees Wantenaar of Fresh Produce Centre handed the ‘Plea for market recovery and improvement of the competitive position of the Dutch fruit sector’ to the Standing Committee and the State Secretary at 10.30 hrs and 10.45 hrs respectively on Wednesday June 22. This was before the General Consultation about the EU Agricultural Council. A delegation of fruit growers gave out apples and flyers to the passing public to make them understand that the Russian boycott affects the fruit growers and retailers disproportionately. The damage is estimated to be 100 to 125 million Euro per season. There was some extra consumption domestically after the boycott started, but that has passed.
The EU intervention regulations do not contribute to the market recovery and export to new destinations. For example, the 1 million pears exported to China do not even begin to compensate the loss of sales of the 60 million kg of pears exported to Russia. The prediction for the coming season is not very positive: Europe still has large stockpiles of harvest and the demand for industry fruits for next year is already provided for.
