Madam, - Far from glossing over the fact that sugar reform hurts the poorest countries, (Martin Mansergh, December 3rd), Oxfam has strongly protested that the recent EU deal does farmers in developing countries a terrible disservice.
While Europe's farmers and industry are being offered over €7 billion in compensation for their losses rising out of the reform, the African, Caribbean and Pacific Countries (ACPs) are being offered only €40 million in 2006 by the EU, to offset against their estimated annual losses of €500 million.
It is a betrayal of promises to give the poorest countries unlimited access to Europe's markets.
To add insult to injury, the deal does not even guarantee an end to the dumping of subsidised produce on developing country markets, so that as well as losing overseas markets, farmers in developing countries also lose heavily in their own domestic markets.
Oxfam Ireland believes in supporting Irish farming, but this can and must be done in a way that does not hurt the poor. - Yours, etc,
COLIN ROCHE,
Advocacy & Campaigns
Executive,
Oxfam Ireland,
Burgh Quay,
Dublin 2.