Farm leaders from across the UK yesterday called on politicians at home and abroad to step in and help cash-strapped farmers.
NFU Scotland president Allan Bowie joined his counterparts from across the UK in Brussels yesterday for a meeting with senior European Commission officials.
The union leaders called for the European Investment Bank to speed up its work to refinance farm borrowings and for the European Commission to do everything in its power to ensure trade with Russia was resumed.
They also called for a review of EU dairy intervention price thresholds and for fertiliser import tariffs to be removed.
“Farm businesses are suffering severe cash flow problems caused by unsustainably low prices and the delay in the payment of the basic payment scheme,” said Mr Bowie.
“We need measures that can assist businesses now and help them through the current serious difficulties that are hitting all of Europe’s farmers.”
He said the next European council of farm ministers’ meeting needed to deliver “concrete measures” to give some immediate relief to struggling farm businesses.
“We are asking for a suspension of fertiliser tariff imports and the removal of dumping duties to give some immediate relief on costs. Allowing the European Investment Bank to refinance farm borrowings with holidays from repayments possible when prices are extremely low would assist with businesses dealing with price volatility,” added Mr Bowie.
“While these measures will give some immediate relief, we need to continue our focus on ensuring that the market gives farmers a fair return and that the risk and rewards up and down the food chain are more fairly shared.”