EU Commissioner tours Malta Dairy Products

European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Mariann Fischer Boel yesterday started her visit to Malta by touring the Malta Diary Products (MDP) premises in Hamrun.

On her arrival, the Danish commissioner, herself a former minister for agriculture and fisheries, said the purpose of her visit was to see how things were done in different member states. She is speaking to local agricultural authorities and stakeholders in order to learn about their needs.

MDP board secretary Ian Stafrace said in a welcome address that the company was set up in 1986 instead of the former state-owned milk-processing factory Milk Marketing Undertaking (MMU).

"Today, 70 per cent of MDP belongs to the Koperattiva tal- Prodotti tal-Halib while the remaining 30 per cent is owned by the government," Dr Stafrace said.

By 2004, MDP had practically doubled its sales, which had become more diversified. Over the past few years it had embarked on a renovation project worth some Lm3 million to upgrade its plant with a computer-controlled production system, Ms Fischer Boel was told.

The company's sales had endured some shocks because of competition from imported milk products but sales had become stable again mostly because of the emphasis the MDP made on the freshness of its product, the MDP representative said.

Environment and Rural Affairs Minister George Pullicino, who Ms Fischer Boel described as "an old friend", spoke of the government's intention to sell the remaining shares it owned at the MDP.

"This would inject more impetus into the company," Mr Pullicino said.

Agriculture and fisheries parliamentary secretary Francis Agius formed part of the Maltese delegation which accompanied Ms Fischer Boel to a number of farms in Rabat.

The EU Commissioner also crossed to Gozo to meet representatives of farmers' and herdsmen groups and cooperatives, in the presence of Gozo Minister Giovanna Debono.