The European Commission has boosted its 2017 promotion strategy for EU agricultural products, with the budget rising from €111 million in 2016 to €133 million. 

The organization said this would co-finance several programs, most of which will target third countries and regions including China, the Middle East, North America, Southeast Asia and Japan.

This orientation supports the momentum launched earlier this year by Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Phil Hogan's efforts to find new markets for EU products abroad, it added.

"I welcome these new programmes, especially in the context of the recent market difficulties. I was just now travelling in Asia as part of our efforts to boost agri-food exports, and I am struck by the interest being shown by importers and consumers in this part of the world," Hogan said after returning from a business mission to Vietnam and Indonesia.

"The further expansion of our promotion programmes next year is also particularly important as this will also help to stimulate growth and jobs in the agri-food sector.

"EU wide, we see that an increase in exports of €1 billion supports roughly 14,000 jobs. I am particularly pleased that this includes a new initiative to boost products from sustainable agriculture."

The EC said a call for proposals to benefit from the 2017 promotion budget would be launched in January at the latest. Proposing organizations can apply and their campaigns, usually rolling over three years, will be co-financed by the European Commission at rates of 70-85%.

The products which will be the most advertised in the campaigns are fruits and vegetables (30% of the programmes), followed by meat (17%) and dairy products (15%).

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