mr president i should like to thank the rapporteur for this report
normally own-initiative reports are tame affairs and we do not get a chance to debate the issues so i suppose it is positive that we are having a debate about what is now a very controversial and sensitive subject the issue of fair prices and fair returns to farmers
the very fact that we have this report means that there is a problem in the marketplace for food and that we do need political action to address it
i am concerned that there is some rowing back from that position over the summer months but i certainly am not rowing back from my support for the bové report
while i have concerns about elements of it i support the overall theme which is that we need action to address concerns of producers and to ensure that they get fair prices
it is a simple fact that producers are price takers they do not set the price that they get for their produce
would that they could and if they were wise perhaps they should keep food in short supply and we would all pay a dear price for that
but they are not price makers they are price takers and they need protection
i want to respond to some comments from the ecr colleagues
two words terrify me and they are light touch
the idea that light-touch regulation works for the food sector or for the banking sector i am afraid it does not work
light-touch regulation that is not monitored will fail so let us get away from that idea
the same goes for the idea that the free market works
we have to ask who does it work for
as colleagues have said agriculture the food production chain is different
it is not like any other sector
i would ask those who say that the market works because it provides the lowest possible consumer prices to answer the question how long can that pertain
and is cheap food going to keep going in the long term
we need action
i support the bové report with some slight reservations and i hope colleagues do likewise
