Irish farm organisations are continuing to give their mixed reactions to an expected €80 million aid package for agriculture from the European Commission.
The package would include provision of Aids to Private Storage (APS) for a number of dairy products, as well as for steak.
Edmond Phelan, the president of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA), said that reports of an €80 million package is “just a drop in the ocean” compared to what would be necessary.
While we await further details, the €80 million for EU agriculture would not even come near what is needed for Irish agriculture.
“Weekly kill numbers are running at 8,000 head less than the same time last year, which reflects the closure of food service outlets,” Phelan pointed out.
“ICSA would welcome APS for steak cuts, given that food service accounts for 31% of all the beef we produce in Ireland… However, the devastation caused to beef markets by the closure of food service outlets…shows no sign of abating anytime soon,” Phelan warned.
The ICSA president claimed: “It is clear that this response suggests that the EU commission is completely out of its depth in dealing with the economic catastrophe arising from Covid-19.”
‘Hopelessly inadequate’
Meanwhile, yesterday, a spokesperson for the Irish Creamery Milk Supplier’s Association (ICMSA), told AgriLand that: “If the reports are correct – and specifically the amounts speculated are correct – then it will be hopelessly inadequate to the task.”
The ICMSA spokesperson said that “multiples” of the expected €80 million figure “will have to be forthcoming”.
The spokesperson added that an implementing regulation will need to be published for this aid package, but “it’s understood that this has yet to be received by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine”.