Agricultural settlement in port – NRK Norway – Summary of news from different parts of the country

Negotiations between farmers’ organizations and the state began on Sunday. The deadline to be single was Thursday, but already on Thursday morning the parties had reached an agreement.

It has simplified the negotiations. Among other things, he will say that no demands or offers have been made, as has been our custom, and that they have only negotiated arrangements that are already in their own right.

– The parties agree to an agreement to give farmers greater prominence for farmers and food production, says agriculture. and the Minister of Food, Olaug Bollestad (KrF).

Ho said the agricultural industry is relatively economically affected by the pandemic, but food production is a socially critical function and therefore it was important to reach an agreement at the port now, he said.

– The agreement gives priority to areas such as the production of grains, fruits and vegetables, while strengthening climate and environmental work, Bollestad said at the press conference.

The reason areas like cereals, fruits, vegetables, and potatoes are prioritized is to improve the economy and increase self-sufficiency. which is less in these areas than in meat production.

The new agreement will take effect from July 1, and then food prices will also adjust.

Busier with Norwegian food

Krisa has also made Norwegian food production a big brand in recent weeks. And that’s what Lars Petter Bartnes from Norway Bondelag is happy about.

– More and more people see the value of Norwegian agriculture and the need of the Norwegian farmer. Against that background, it was important for us to conduct these negotiations this spring, and not wait until fall, he said at the press conference.

Given the fact that we only have adjustments to the existing schemes that have been on the table to simplify the agricultural negotiations this year, they have had to add more points to the subsequent negotiations.

– Agriculture lags behind other industries in income development, but this deal was not the time for wage struggles. We will come back to that in ordinary negotiations in 2021, Bartnes said.

But although demand for Norwegian food has increased in stores, closed hotels and restaurants have created difficulties for the agricultural industry.

– It has brought great challenges to our value chain, industry and manufacturers.

Norsk Norsk Bonde- og Småbrukarlag are happy to reach an agreement at port no. It was important to them that the deal looked to the future, says Kjersti Hoff.

– The Norwegian Farmers and Small Farmers Association has long worked to increase the Norwegian portion of food and strengthen grazing. In this agreement, we have agreed to start work on this alone, to be completed by next year’s negotiations.

Hoff also claims that the agreement shows that more farmers are needed.

– We have to see how we can use the entire country and better distribute production. In fact, we must become more farmers. And it must be profitable to be a farmer, so that more people prioritize it.

I’m glad the potato is being prioritized

Grain and potato farmer Ivar Skramstad in Vang in Hedmarken is pleased that there is a new deal, despite the crisis that has hit the country.

– I am glad that you have negotiated an agreement and not only passed the previous agreement. But now we have to see what details are in the agreement, but the signs are positive, he tells NRK.

He is particularly pleased that the parties say they will prioritize cereals, fruits and vegetables, and potatoes.

– When it comes to fruits and vegetables, potatoes are often kept out.

Norwegian agriculture is highly climate dependent, and therefore Skramstad is pleased that there is an agreement after the industry suffered a crisis for the third year in a row.

– Last year, we calculate, the year before cleaning. And this year, the crown situation is critical for many farmers, especially labor-dependent fruit and vegetable growers.

Increase expenses

The crown pandemic presents many challenges for agriculture. In order to obtain labor for the farmers who depend on it, the state has implemented measures to facilitate hiring.

However, many farmers have chosen to reduce production because they are unsure whether they will get temporary workers, while others have managed to plant because they have obtained the labor they need.

– There has been some uncertainty about this. It has also led to extraordinary expenses for green growers, making them frustrated in this situation, Lars Petter Bartnes at the Norwegian Bondelag tells NRK.

The crisis and the exchange rate of the crown also give the farmer additional expenses. Both technical equipment and artificial fertilizer have become more expensive in a short time.

– We see that the price of technical equipment has increased by 20-30 percent since mid-March. And I expect fertilizer prices to rise accordingly. So maybe grain prices should also go up at least 20 percent, but I see it as a utopia, says Skramstad.

But compensation for more expenses related to the crown crisis has not been an issue in the negotiations that have now ended.

– We know that the green industry will have trouble increasing costs, and we must continue to do so, says Bartnes.