EU: Hop growing subsidies in the European Union (EU) will from 2006 be de-linked from production - mostly paid as single direct payments to growers - the EU Council of Ministers has decided at a special meeting on Common Agricultural Policy reform.

Ministers have however allowed member states to grant a maximum of 25 per cent of these subsidies to farmer and producer organisations, “to take account of specific production conditions or specific circumstances in the production regions”.

For the 2005 harvest, the current hops regime with the aids fixed for 2004 will apply. Said EU agriculture Commissioner Franz Fischler: “Our new policy is geared towards a competitive, environmentally friendly and quality oriented farming sector.”

28 April, 2004