Farmers to have a better negotiating position in two years

The status of farmers, vis-a-vis food supply chains, should be improved within two years, said the Slovak Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Gabriela Matečná (a Slovak National Party/SNS nominee) after a meeting of the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Luxembourg on Monday. She welcomed the European Commission adopting a directive draft on banning unfair trade practices last week. "At the moment, farmers lack the necessary capital, a situation that weakens their negotiating position towards powerful supranational retail chains in terms of prices. This results in consumers buying relatively cheaper food, but of lower quality", said Matečná. In order to be introduced into practice, the draft needs to be approved by European Parliament.