FEPEX has suggested the need to maintain the exceptional measures for fruit and vegetables adopted by the EU against the Russian veto, laid down in Regulation 1031/2014, which will come to an end on 31 December.
The European Commission is considering adopting a new regulation, oriented in principle to maintaining market measures currently in force (withdrawal, non-harvesting and green harvesting) for both producer organisations as well as individuals.
The Commission is not expected to publish the new regulation until January, so there may be a gap in the implementation of measures between the end of the current Regulation and the introduction of the new one.
For FEPEX, it is necessary to ensure the continuity of these measures, without interruptions or legal uncertainty, to prevent the market from being negatively affected. FEPEX reiterated that, in addition to continuity, the new regulation should apply to all products, without discrimination between crops and producers, especially considering that there are products with high export volumes which are also relevant from a social and economic standpoint, such as onions, lettuce, etc. The Ministry stated that requests have already been issued for the inclusion of pomegranates, kakis, aubergines and courgettes.
Spanish fruit and vegetable exports in August, when the Russian veto was announced, dropped by 19.81% in value and 11.48% in volume compared with the same month of 2013, reaching 468,157,316 Euro and 627,475 tonnes respectively. This, according to FEPEX, was mainly the result of the crisis caused by the veto in all EU markets.
Direct exports of Spanish fruit and vegetables to Russia dropped from 16,739 tonnes in August of 2013 to 3,405 tonnes in the same month this year; 80% less.
In September, Spanish exports have dropped by 8% in volume and 4.6% in value compared to the same month of 2013, reaching a total of 510,698 tonnes and 442.9 million Euro. Direct exports of Spanish fruit and vegetables to Russia have dropped from 10,383 tonnes in September 2013 to 131 tonnes in the same month this year, according to data supplied by the Directorate General of Customs of the Tax Agency.