Need for measures to support Greek Kalamata olive producers
25.2.2021
Question for written answer E-001124/2021
to the Commission
Rule 138
Lefteris Nikolaou-Alavanos (NI)
Producers of Kalamata olives are facing financial ruin now that wholesalers and processors have stopped buying their stocks, including large quantities of Kalamata PDO olives.
This is happening increasingly often in CAP areas as a result of a policy jointly adopted and implemented by the EU and the national governments. In line with this policy:
- 1.Large imports of olives are allowed, while outlets for domestic production are by no means guaranteed. Imported olives that are being sold as ‘Kalamata’ or ‘Kalamon’ olives are proving highly profitable for traders, who are able to purchase them cheaply and take advantage of this to force down the price of local produce.
- 2.Guaranteed minimum prices that would guarantee living incomes for farmers and fair prices for consumers are disallowed, all the more so since Article 167(1)(a) of Regulation 1308/2013 explicitly prohibits any form of price fixing by EU Member States, even on an indicative basis, during the ‘first’ marketing of the product, i.e. when olive oil is sold by farmers to traders or to retailers/distributors/exporters.
In the light of the above:
What view does the Commission take of the ridiculously low prices being paid for locally produced Kalamata olives? Does it agree on the need for measures to curtail large imports, set guaranteed prices for agricultural products and offset the lost income of olive producers who are struggling to make a living?