By Gogos Katseli
A package of measures to address shortages of food, agricultural products and raw materials, as well as combating profiteering due to the war in Ukraine, will be discussed in meeting that will take place at 13.00 at the Maximos Palace under the Prime Minister and with the participation of the Minister of Rural Development, George Georgantas.
As Kyriakos Mitsotakis said after the end of the Summit last Friday, referring to today’s meeting, the global food crisis concerns the government, although as he pointed out “it does not concern our country, but we must be prepared for such a crisis”. In this context, today it is expected to consider alternative markets for grain imports, but also to provide incentives to farmers, such as coupled aid, in order to increase the cultivation of common wheat and maize in our country.
On the same wavelength moved and Minister of Rural Development, who yesterday speaking to SKAI clarified that Greece has full competence in durum wheat, while for soft wheat, he explained that our country imports about 250,000-300,000 tons per year from Ukraine and Russia and despite the war Ukraine continues and exports even small quantities to all countries. He pointed out that there are many alternative markets, such as Germany, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, where loads come to the country every day. “And of course there is the alternative market of Canada and America, which have been activated to some degree. “So there is no risk or sufficiency in soft wheat,” he stressed.
At the same time, Mr. Georgantas stressed that the Ministry of Rural Development has requested that common wheat and maize be included in the coupled aid so that there is an additional incentive for farmers for the next period 2023-2027 so that they can cultivate.
Regarding sunflower oil, he said that Greece has a large production of sunflower, however, 90% is directed to the so-called biofuel and only 10% to cooking. “The sunflower is in great growth and there are constantly new areas that are cultivated. “In the next period, there will be a full sufficiency of our own productions”, he added.
At the same time, the meeting will focus on the prices of products, mainly sunflower oil and flour, which have already started to rise, despite the fact that at the moment there are no shortages, while government officials have left open the possibility of reducing VAT until restore market supply, provided, of course, that the budgetary data allow it. Indicatively, in his statements last week, the Minister of Development and Investment, Adonis Georgiadis, pointed out that “flour and sunflower oil, except energy, are the main products that have been most affected by the war in Ukraine”, emphasizing that “no I can rule out a reduction in VAT on products like these. “The government is above the problem, while pushing the EU to provide a pan-European solution.”
In terms of feed price increases, as Greece imports about 500,000 tonnes of corn from Russia and Ukraine, information indicates that the government staff is considering a € 40 million increase in livestock to cover In the event of a market gap, alternative markets will be introduced, such as Romania, Bulgaria, but also South America.
Another issue that will be discussed in today’s meeting is the suppression of profiteering phenomena through artificial shortages in the market, while last week the Parliament voted an amendment for mandatory registration of stocks in 7 product categories. In fact, the declaration of stocks on the special platform is expected to start today, which should be completed within 48 hours.
As Mr. Georgantas stated yesterday to SKAI, “the relevant JMC will be issued on Monday (today) and within 48 hours the stocks and the point where they are located must be declared”. He added that the declaration should be updated regularly, and that the European Commission has requested that stocks of specific products be recorded throughout Europe.
It is reminded that companies operating in the chain of production, import, trade, sale, brokerage, distribution, distribution and storage of agricultural products and food in the Greek Territory must submit data for stocks to:
– raw materials for the production of fertilizers,
– fertilizers,
– pet food,
– raw cereals of all kinds, in particular wheat or rye, rye, barley, oats, maize, edible buckwheat,
– flour and in particular wheat or rye flour and cereal flour, (f) sunflower, and
vegetable oils, other than olive oil, in particular sunflower oil (sunflower oil), palm oil and maize.
“All this is happening, because while we know that there is sufficiency, there must also be availability. “One should not think that one can speculate at this very difficult time”, stressed Mr. Georgantas.
However, for those companies that create “artificial shortages” by keeping, for example, the products in the warehouses in order to return them later at a much higher price, stricter fines of 1,000-100,000 euros are provided, as well as confiscation of the mentioned items, to the extent that they have not been declared. or have been incorrectly declared.
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