France Wants Help with Exports
FRANCE - At next week's meeting of the European agricultural council, France will call for the reintroduction of pigmeat export subsidies.
Having seen a reduction in its national pig herd and in annual pigmeat production it is now seeing a fall in exports too — down 16 percent in January-February. Projected fall in the French pig herd this year is 1.6 per cent, but this figure is optimistic.
France's call for export subsidies will likely be supported by Italy, where producers have significant debts after four years of losses and are now struggling to get loans extended as banks become more cautious about lending.
