European ministers will discuss new methods in agriculture, with the aim of increasing production
Update: 16/09/2022 09:14
Issued by: 16/09/2022, 09:14
Prague – Today, during an informal meeting in Prague, the Ministers of Agriculture of the EU countries will discuss new methods in agriculture, the aim of which will be a safe increase in food production. The ministers will also deal with, for example, so-called genomic techniques. They will also deal with additional aid to farmers. Czech Minister of Agriculture Zdeněk Nekula (KDU-ČSL) told journalists before the meeting.
“The goal is to ensure sufficient food production in a long-term, sustainable way. We want to produce more food for ourselves, but also for other countries outside the European Union,” Nekula said about the main goals of the discussions of the European ministers of agriculture.
Ministers will therefore discuss new methods in agriculture, such as genomic techniques, in which the genome of an organism is changed. The techniques are supposed to improve the nutritional properties of crops and at the same time reduce the need to use pesticides and other substances. According to Nekula, the ministers will be interested in techniques that are at the level of common breeding procedures. “We do not want to follow the path of genetically modified organisms, but it is necessary to respond to scientific progress,” the minister pointed out, emphasizing that the priority will be to increase production as well as maintain safe procedures.
Ministers should also discuss aid to farmers today. “We are working to have an approved strategic plan for EU agricultural policy,” continued Nekula. He said he could sense the nervousness among farmers, but it was important to stick to the EU’s long-term goals. “But at the same time, we have to react to the current situation, which is why we also work with exceptions. We will use the exception to use fallow and crop rotation,” he added.
Agricultural unions and chambers in the Czech Republic protested against the subsidy policy of the government and the EU and the so-called Green Deal on Thursday. Nekula said that one cannot give up on long-term goals in agricultural policy.
At the same time, he recalled the help to date for domestic farmers, who are most affected by the increase in the prices of energy, fuel and other input costs. 831 million will be distributed from the Union money and the state budget to breeders of sows, poultry, dairy cattle and apple and potato growers. Farmers could also apply for support through the Agricultural and Forestry Support and Guarantee Fund (PGRLF) to reduce the principal of operating loans for small and medium-sized farmers. It will thus pay 750 million crowns to farmers and food producers.