French want more time for maize sales

9 February 2000



French want more time for maize sales

FRENCH farmers have asked the EU to consider extending the time for selling maize into intervention stocks.

The present cut-off date is 31 May, but French maize producers group AGPM says the current system forces them to sell stocks into intervention months before the new harvest comes on stream.

They are asking for the period to be extended until August.

The French cereals office, ONIC, forecasts that farmers could offer between 800,000 and 1 million tonnes of French maize into intervention stocks in 1999-2000 due to an expected surplus this season.

• French raise harvest estimates, reports HGCA, FWi, 21 September, 1999
• EU cereal harvest heading for 5% reduction – HGCA, FWi, 24 August, 1999
• Low French grain price keeps UKs down, FWi, 23 July, 1998
  
• Financial Times 09/02/2000 page 40 (News Digest)