Products covered by the measures include tomatoes, carrots, white cabbage, peppers, cauliflowers, cucumbers, mushrooms, apples and pears. The financial assistance will cover all producers, regardless of whether they are part of Producers Organisations, and is eligible to be paid on wasted, or early harvested produce.
The ongoing market situation for all products will be discussed in a meeting with Member States in Brussels on Friday.
Dacian Ciolo?, EU Agriculture and Rural Development Commissioner, said: “Taking into account the market situation following the Russian restrictions on imports of EU agricultural products, with effect from today, I am triggering CAP emergency measures which will reduce overall supply of a number of fruit and vegetable products on the European market as and when price pressures become too great in the coming months.
"All farmers of the concerned products - whether in producer organisations or not - will be eligible to take up these market support measures where they see fit. Acting early will provide an efficient support to the price paid to producers on the internal market, help the market adjust and be cost effective.”
NFU chief economic adviser Phil Bicknell said: “We know that the UK food and drink exports directly to Russia are relatively small, accounting for less than one per cent of our total food exports. The bigger risk for the UK is the potential impact a congested EU marketplace could have on the supply and demand balance.
“The important part of this announcement is that it isn’t restricted to losses that just those that export directly to Russia would incur, and nor is it restricted to just Producer Organisations – that gives UK businesses access to the fund, should our fruit and vegetable producers be impacted.”
NFU Chief Horticulture adviser, Hayley Campbell-Gibbons added: “The UK market has seen very little impact since the ban was announced. There’s certainly no panic situation on the ground, and any difficulties are being managed – for example, EU exporters are already reported to be seeking alternative markets outside the EU with some success.
"The EU scheme should help to correct the market, and of course growers, retailers and government can work proactively to maximise sales of home-grown produce to consumers.”