Strengthening Farmers’ Position in the Food Supply Chain

MaYA welcomes the European Union’s political commitment to strengthen farmers’ position within the agri-food supply chain following the provisional agreement reached between the Council and the European Parliament earlier this month.

The agreement introduces improvements to EU agricultural rules aimed at creating fairer and more balanced relationships between farmers, processors, and retailers. Key measures include strengthening the use of written contracts, reinforcing the role of producer organisations, and improving transparency in the market. These changes are intended to support greater income stability for farmers and more resilient food supply chains across Europe.

For small farming systems such as Malta’s, where many producers operate on limited land and often face weaker bargaining power within the market, such measures are particularly relevant. Stronger collective structures and clearer contractual frameworks can help farmers secure fairer prices and better plan their production.

This development also resonates with the objectives of CoreNET project, for which MaYA serves as the National Contact Point in Malta. CoreNET focuses on strengthening collaboration and knowledge exchange among farmers, advisors, and innovation actors working on short food supply chains and community-supported agriculture. By promoting cooperation and more balanced relationships within agri-food systems, these EU policy developments complement the broader efforts of initiatives like CoreNET to build more transparent, resilient, and locally connected food systems.