Fruit & Vegetables Withdrawal Scheme
Fresh fruit and vegetable exceptional aid scheme
Please note that the closing date for applications to withdraw produce under this scheme was 30/06/11 and the scheme is now closed.
UK growers can now apply for support under this newly launched scheme which will provide additional assistance to the fruit and vegetable sector following the recent market disruption caused by the E.coli outbreak in Germany. The scheme is open to growers of tomatoes, lettuce, endives, cucumbers, sweet peppers and courgettes and provides aid for the withdrawal of produce from the market, non-harvesting measures and green harvesting.
It will apply to withdrawal operations undertaken between the date of publication of the regulation, 18 June, and 30 June 2011. Growers wanting to notify they wish to withdraw products, need to submit a form HOR7A, Application for Withdrawals, which is available on the RPA website at rpa.defra.gov.uk Anyone without web access can also obtain copies of the form from RPA by fax on 0191 226 1081.
Only one notification per day can be accepted and the absolute deadline for sending in forms is 6pm on Thursday 30 June 2011. Any products notified for withdrawal will be subject to checks, which may be unannounced. Checks will include ensuring marketing standards are met, weighing and sampling and will cover produce in the field as well as harvested produce. Growers will need to retain produce for inspection until 6pm of the next working day following notification, unless otherwise advised by RPA.
Anyone wishing to receive payment from this scheme will need to be registered with RPA. Those not registered with RPA, and not a member of one of the recognised Producer Organisations, will need to register as a trader, be allocated a trader registration number and provide bank details for the payments. Growers can apply under this scheme (using form HOR7A) even though they are not registered as they can still notify RPA and action withdrawals while in the process of registering.
Scheme guidance and all forms are available on the RPA website at rpa.defra.gov.uk. To register with RPA call 0845 603 7777. Lines are open 8.30 am to 5.00 pm Monday to Friday. For queries contact RPA on 0845 603 7777, visit the website or email F&VWithdrawals@rpa.gsi.gov.uk
RPA will provide information about the quantities of product withdrawn in the UK to the European Commission on 18 July 2011. The Commission will then use this information to determine whether the total number of applications fall within the financial limit set for these measures (€210,000,000 across the EU). If necessary, the Commission will determine an allocation coefficient to reduce the total aid, on a pro rata basis, to ensure the financial limit is not exceeded across the EU.
Further information, scheme guidance and application forms can be found by clicking on the links on the left hand side of the page:
- For application forms click on the 'Forms' link
- For guidance on how the scheme will operate click on the 'Trader Notices' link.
Rates of Aid
The rates of aid for the scheme laid out in Article 4(5) of Regulation 585/2011 are shown below. These rates may be reduced dependant on the total amount of Withdrawals made acoss the EU under the scheme.
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|
Maximum support (EURO/100 kg)
|
|
| 33.2 |
Lettuce and curled-leaved and broad-leaved endives
| 38.9 |
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| 24.0 |
|
| 44.4 |
|
| 29.6 |
Any Media queries should be addressed to Kike Biye, RPA press officer: 0118 968 7680;
kike.biye@rpa.gsi.gov.uk
Page published: 22 September 2011