Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan has said that he’s not Jesus Christ when it comes to dealing to the impending superlevy issues of some European Member States.
Speaking at International Green Week Berlin 2015 this week, he said that he would advise farmers to reduce milk production if they are over quota rather than paying a superlevy.
“I think they know the rules are there since 2003 and confirmed in 2008 and 2013 and even the Agricultural Council of Ministers failed to reach agreement on a soft landing for milk quota.
“I know we are in the general area of Christmas,” he said. “But I don’t think I am Jesus Christ in the area of providing solutions to people that know what the rules are for so long.”
Hogan said many Member States are genuinely worried that, post milk quota, there is going to be a significant reduction in price.
He said that his job is to keep confidence in the industry and ensure that we find alternative markets.
Hogan said he is asking producers to take account of the fact that there will be supply and demand issues.
No one takes account of the fact, he said, that there has been a deliberate decision by producers across European Union, to increase production by 5.5% in 2014 even though we were coming to the end of milk quotas.
Hogan said that he is going to observe the rules that were agreed over the years and will continue to monitor developments in the dairy industry.
