The growing crisis in the fodder sector and the wider tillage sector will require a pan-European response due to the widespread nature of the extreme weather challenges, according to Fianna Fáil MEP Billy Kelleher.
“It’s clear that it’s not just Ireland suffering from a very hot summer. We are already hearing stories of Hungarian tillage farmers seeing 50% to 60% reduction in yields,” Kelleher stated.
“In the immediate term, I am deeply concerned about the potential for a serious fodder crisis in the months ahead. Maize crop yields across Europe will be severely depleted, which will undermine massively European fodder reserves,” Kelleher said.
He called for the Fodder and Feed Security Committee to be re-established to assess what is happening on the ground across Ireland in real time.
The MEP warned that the reduced yields and fodder shortages will lead to “inflation in the supermarkets for ordinary families, at a time when they simply cannot afford an extra cost”.
European level
He said that while the Irish Government can “mitigate certain issues”, he believes this is an issue much bigger than one or two countries and needs to be brought to pan-European level by the European Commission in conjunction with member state governments.
“Ireland now holds the presidency of the council. We should be ready and willing to add it to the council agenda if the situation continues to deteriorate.
“As Fianna Fáil MEPs, we have been quite clear that food security is part of European resilience. Now is the time to show that the EU can respond to the needs of all citizens, sectors and countries,” concluded Kelleher.
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