Public Intervention and Private Storage aid consultation launched

A consultation on proposed amendments to retained direct EU legislation was today published by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA).

The eight-week consultation will run from 29 August to 24 October 2023.

Following the UK’s exit from the European Union (EU), legislation which provided for intervention in the agricultural markets, and the provision of financial support to the agricultural sector, during actual or threatened severe market disturbance remained in place.  

DAERA is now considering making amendments to this legislation, relating to public intervention and private storage aid.  DAERA wants to ensure that these arrangements are more appropriate to local circumstances and better suit the new Future Farm Support and Development Programme that will operate in Northern Ireland.

The consultation will remain open for comment for the next eight weeks until 29 October 2023 and can be accessed on the DAERA website.

Notes to editors: 

1. Public Intervention (PI) and Private Storage Aid (PSA) are longstanding market intervention mechanisms that have existed under the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) for supporting market prices. They seek to do so by reducing the supply of goods on the domestic market, and thereby raising market prices.  Under Public Intervention, a specified product would be purchased by relevant authority and held until market price recovers and stabilises.  Under Private Storage Aid, a specified product is stored by processor for specified period of time with support for storage costs being provided.
2. The proposals replicate amendments to the retained direct EU legislation on intervention in agricultural markets that have been made in England and are to be made in Wales.  The frameworks were also recently amended in Scotland so that Private Storage Aid has been amended and Public Intervention will not operate for a five year period from July 2023.
3. DAERA is seeking consultees’ views on a number of proposed changes to the legislation as it applies in Northern Ireland.  Responses will be used to inform recommendations on the way forward for an incoming Minister to consider.
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5. All media queries should be directed to the DAERA Press Office: pressoffice.group@daera-ni.gov.uk or phone 02890 524619.
6. The Executive Information Service operates an out of hours’ service for media enquiries only between 1800hrs and 0800hrs Monday to Friday and at weekends and public holidays. The duty press officer can be contacted on 028 9037 8110.

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