The Food Chain Law and the elaboration of a Strategic Plan of the CAP for the distribution of the 47,000 million euros corresponding to the next seven years, constitute the priority objectives of the Ministry of Agriculture for the just begun 2021.
Regarding the Food Chain Law, which prohibits new unfair commercial practices that have a negative impact on prices for farmers and ranchers, a first measure has been to increase the budget.
Thus, the Agency for Information and Control, AICA will have 30% more resources up to 8.26 million. It is an acceptable figure for agricultural organizations if it is intended to increase the means of inspection and reaches all sectors.
Among the new requirements is, since February, the control of the sale prices of a product at source and throughout the chain, which must cover at least production costs. A new legal text is currently being finalized in Parliament to transpose the Community directive on commercial practices.
Despite its mandatory nature, the reality is that in key sectors such as milk, oil, fruit and vegetables or grapes, contracts have been made in the public light below production costs, which has led to complaints from agricultural organizations.
From the Agency, in recent months controls have been carried out on cost prices only in the face of complaints made from an operator. However, no ex officio inspections have been carried out, something that will be done throughout 2021.
With regard to the Strategic Plan, in the last year initial discussions have been carried out with agricultural organizations and the Autonomous Communities to define the criteria on how to distribute the 47,000 million, a figure equal to that of the previous period if it is not discounted inflation.
The project must be completed in the first half of the year, for its presentation in Brussels and for it to be definitively approved in 2022.
There is an almost unanimous agreement between all parties on the need to go to a redistribution of funds to support professionals in the activity, genuine farmers, as well as small and medium-sized farms, with the ceiling of 100,000 euros per petitioner and apply cuts from 60,000 euros.
