Set-aside requirement for the 1997-1998 marketing year (derog. regul. 1765/92/EEC)

Under the consultation procedure the agriculture committee has adopted the report by Alan GILLIS approving the Commission proposal to reduce the set-aside rate for the 1997 marketing year to 5%. Cereal stocks are at an all-time low on the world market having dropped from 7 million tonnes in 1995-1996 to 3.5 million tonnes today and, furthermore, these consist mainly of barley and rye. This year's production estimates are for 187 million tonnes, while EU consumption is put at 162 million tonnes. However, this may rise as a result of the BSE crisis which has boosted sales of poultry meat and pig meat and thus cereals for animal feeds. The committee also wants to see an end to extraordinary set-aside, which has not been proposed by the Commission. �