Italy steps up fight against Cambodian rice

14 July 2014
The Cambodia Daily
Agricultural production / Agriculture and fishing / Economic policy and administration / Economy and commerce / Exports / Government / Industries / International relations / Ministries and other national bodies / Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries / Rice
Alliance of Rice Producers and Exporters of Cambodia / EU / EU’s Agriculture and Fisheries Council / European Commission / European Union aid / Everything But Arms / Hean Vanhan / Italian Rice Millers Association / Italy / Karel De Gucht / Milan / Ministry of Agriculture / Novara / Pavia / Roberto Carriere / Roger Waite / Van Vichet / Vercelli

Rice farmers in Italy plan to block four major grain exchanges in the country this week over what they say is the European Union’s failure to keep Italian rice competitive against that of cheaper Asian rivals including Cambodia, which is given duty-free access to European markets. Starting today and lasting all week, rice farmers and members of various agriculture unions will use banners and tractors to disrupt the exchanges in Milan, Novara, Vercelli and Pavia, calling for the E.U. to revoke the preferential trade agreement Cambodia benefits from. Under the Everything But Arms (EBA) scheme, which gives preferential market access to least developed countries, Cambodia has seen rice exports increase year on year, driven largely by European buyers. …

 George Styllis
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/business/italy-steps-up-fight-against-cambodian-rice-63945/