EU Rice Lobby Demands Implementation of Safeguard System for Rice

27-Apr-2026 06:05 PM

Brussels: Copa-Cogeca—an influential lobby group representing the agricultural sector within the European Union—has urged the European Commission to implement a protective safeguard mechanism for rice. The objective is to ensure the protection of the interests of paddy and rice producers and to prevent any threats to their livelihoods.

In a statement issued last week, Copa-Cogeca noted that the European Union has granted preferential access to its domestic market for rice imports from various other countries, a move that threatens to destabilize the EU rice market.

The group warned that if massive quantities of inexpensive rice are imported from other nations, local farmers will face immense difficulties in selling their produce at fair and profitable prices.

The statement further highlighted that countries such as Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand, and India have been granted preferential access to export their rice to EU markets. India and Thailand are two of the world's leading rice-exporting nations; Myanmar and Cambodia also export significant quantities of rice.

Should rice imports from these countries continue to rise rapidly, the supply and availability of low-cost goods within EU markets will surge, thereby maintaining constant pressure on local producers.

This situation would adversely impact the rural economy, diminish employment opportunities, and compromise the production of high-quality food grains (rice). Consequently, farmers may be compelled to abandon paddy cultivation and shift their focus to other crops.