EU aid for Maltese tomato growers

Malta-grown tomatoes for processing will be granted a subsidy of €34.50 (Lm15) a tonne by the European Union for the marketing year 2005/2006.

A regulation setting the amount of community aid for tomatoes for processing has just been adopted by the European Commission. The subsidy will be given to 10 member states, including Malta, where the tomatoes are grown.

Before Malta joined the EU, growers and processors of Maltese tomatoes were protected through levies on imported tomato products. However all existent levies were removed on May 1.

During accession negotiations, it was agreed that the tomato industry would still be eligible for direct financial support so that the price of local products would be able to go down.

It was agreed that the farmers would get Lm131.16 million in financial support until 2014. The national threshold for production of tomatoes was set at 27,000 tonnes per year and tomatoes used for the production of kunserva are also eligible for EU aid.