The Government will analyze this Wednesday with supermarkets, distribution, industry and the primary sector, in the Food Chain Observatorythe evolution of food prices from the field to the table after mobilizations and protests in Spain by farmers and ranchers have intensified in recent weeks, demanding fair prices for their production.
The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, will preside over the plenary session of the Observatory at the headquarters of the Observatory at 4:00 p.m. Department of agriculturewhich will also address the operation of the food chainwhich is being one of the demands of farmers and ranchers.
The head of Agriculture already highlighted in his appearance a few weeks ago in the Congress of Deputies that in the two years that the food chain law has been in force, more than 1,500 controls, with more than 650 sanctions. “Our intention is to consolidate these inspection plans, reinforce the work of dissemination and knowledge of the application of the precepts of the law itself,” Planas then indicated, while emphasizing that the rule “is complied with and is being effective.”
However, the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, announced last week, also in Congress, that the law was going to be strengthened, which prohibits sales at a loss. According to the information published by the Food Information and Control Agency (AICA), from January 2023 to the present, only 195 firm sanctions have been imposed, ranging between 1,801 and 42,769 euros, with a total amount of 641,398 euros.
From the field to the table, prices are multiplied by nine
In this context, food prices have multiplied by up to nine when moving from the field to the table during the month of January, in a context marked by the rise in inflation and the impact of drought on production, according to data from the Food Price Index at Origin and Destination (IPOD) prepared monthly by the agricultural organization COAG. .
The food chain observatory aims to achieve un correct balance between the different links of the food chain, thus ensuring fair, loyal and effective competition, promoting transparency and efficiency in the marketing process. This Wednesday the agricultural professional organizations and cooperatives (Asaja, COAG, UPA and Agro-food Cooperatives of Spain), the National Federation of Fishermen’s Guilds, representing the fishing sector, while for the agri-food industry The Spanish Federation of Food and Beverage Industries (FIAB) will be there.
On behalf of the commercial distribution there will be the National Association of Large Distribution Companies (Anged), the Spanish Association of Distributors, Self-service and Supermarkets (Asedas), the Association of Wholesale Fruit Entrepreneurs of Madrid (Asomafrut), the Spanish Confederation of Meat Retailers (Cedecarne ), the National Confederation of Wholesale Fruit and Vegetable Companies of Spain (Coemfe) and the National Federation of Retail Entrepreneurs of Fish and Frozen Products (Fedepesca), while representing the consumers there will be the Spanish Confederation of Consumer and User Cooperatives (Hispacoop) and the National Civic Union of Consumers and Homemakers (Unae).