Global General

EU considers 30% compensation to farmers

(Agencies)
Updated: 2011-06-07 19:46

Workers throw away cucumbers to be destroyed at an agriculture facility near Bucharest June 6, 2011 as sales collapsed in Romania's markets due to the fear of E.coli contamination. [Photo/Agencies]

BRUSSELS - European Union agriculture ministers are assessing whether farmers will be able to recoup from EU coffers up to 30 percent of the cost of vegetables that cannot be sold because of the German E.coli contamination crisis.

Two officials said Tuesday that the EU Commission has come up with the proposal as a base for negotiations at a special emergency meeting of farm ministers dealing with the economic impact of the crisis. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the negotiations.

Earlier Tuesday, the EU health chief warned Germany against premature - and inaccurate - conclusions on the source of contaminated food that have spread fear all over Europe and cost farmers in exports.