EU Sets Potato Starch Quotas

Quotas on the production of potato starch have been set by the European Union for the years 2005-06 and 2006-07.

In a statement, it was explained that this was done because it was too early to assess the effects of the reform of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy of enlargement of the EU in the potato starch sector.

An increase in production of potato starch at the beginning of the 1990s led to the introduction of a quota system from 1995-96 aimed at limiting production.

Under this system, quotas are fixed by member states and then allocated between potato starch manufacturers in the form of sub-quotas. The current quotas totaling 1,948,761 tons are fixed until the end of the 2004-05 marketing year.

A report prepared for the EU Commission said it would probably take up to two years to assess the initial effects of the reform of the CAP and of the enlargement of the EU on the starch production sector.

The proposed quotas for the 2005-06 and 2006-07 marketing years: Czech Republic 33,660 tons, Denmark 168,215, Germany 656, 298, Estonia 250, Spain 1,943, France 265,354, Latvia 5,778, Lithuania 1,211, Netherlands 507,403, Austria 47,691, Poland 144,985, Slovakia 729, Finland 53,178, and Sweden 62,066.