As of: 01/20/2023 4:41 p.m
After a two-year Corona break, the Green Week in Berlin is now starting again as an on-site event. At the start of the fair, Minister of Agriculture Özdemir thanked the farmers and renewed his plans for a reduction in VAT.
Snacking on appetizers, petting animals, tasting wine – that was not possible at the virtual Green Week in the past two years. After the Corona break, the international food fair has now opened its doors again in a completely analogue way.
Federal Minister of Agriculture Cem Özdemir, who opened the fair together with Berlin’s Governing Mayor Franziska Giffey, thanked the farmers for ensuring that the table was set every day. This cannot be taken for granted, because there are also people on earth “who have to go to bed hungry,” said the Green politician.
Özdemir: Reduce VAT on fruit and vegetables
Özdemir reaffirmed his plan to zero VAT on fruit, vegetables and pulses. “I think that would not only be an important signal for food that allows you to grow old healthily. It would also be a clear commitment to a change in agriculture and the food industry that does justice to the protection of nature and the climate.”
This is also what the “We’ve had enough of it” alliance demands, which has announced a demonstration with 50 tractors and around 10,000 participants for Saturday. The merger of various organizations demonstrated for a social and climate-friendly agricultural turnaround. In addition to an excess profit tax for agricultural companies, the alliance also calls for GMO-free agriculture and the end of “climate-damaging subsidies”.
Greenpeace Poll: Two-Thirds for Zero Percent Tax
The environmental organization Greenpeace presented a survey according to which 67 percent of those questioned were in favor of a complete abolition of VAT on “climate-friendly plant-based foods”. The federal government must now implement this.
“It can motivate people with targeted tax exemptions to consume more climate-friendly food,” says the Greenpeace statement. In addition, everyone has the right to healthy food from sustainable sources, regardless of income. “Zero percent VAT on fruit, vegetables, legumes and milk substitutes can make a significant contribution to this,” it continues.
Farmers’ association against different tax rates on food
Özdemir’s plans envisage that animal products such as meat or milk will continue to be taxed at seven percent as before. The farmers’ association criticizes this and calls for a uniform VAT rate on food. “It can be lower than the current rates, you can discuss the amount,” said farmer president Joachim Rukwied in the “Tagesspiegel”.
From his point of view, everything from zero to seven percent, the reduced tax rate, is justifiable, said Rukwied. “But we shouldn’t try to steer consumption with different sentences.” It should not be the case that only consumers with higher incomes can afford meat.
At the Green Week until January 29, farmers, the food industry, associations and politicians will be discussing the future of food. 1400 exhibitors from 60 countries present their products on site.