A joint project study of fixation and the rise in the price of food

According to recent studies, the food crisis multifaceted nature and the upward trend in the price of food in recent years could indicate a relative scarcity, in the short term, of the first consumer products. In addition, both the diversity of costs which is produced from one country to another, as well and detected the price rises between the period 2007-2008, impact differently in each State of the European Union. In developing countries, for example, the phenomenon has generated more than a concern, given that the cost of food represents a relatively high proportion of total expenditures of consumers.

However, markets are still indicating a volatility that affects the producer to the consumer, much more so the debate on the scope and responsibilities of the food crisis calls into question the current European policy. In order to find effective measures to respond to changes that can transcend, not only the economy but also the population eating habits, a consortium of 13 European partners just to launch the project TRANSFOP, an acronym for 'transparency of food pricing' (transparency of the prices of food).

Played host to the seventh framework programme (FP7) of the European Union and with a budget of EUR 1 million, the overall objective of the project is to obtain a greater knowledge of the actors that determine pricing and transmission of the changes in them over the European food chain. The starting point of research is the study of changes affecting the prices during the intermediate stages and sale to the retail chain of production of the agri-food sector, as well as the effect on the setting of prices of food in different EU countries.

The Consortium TRANSFOP has, among others, with the participation of researchers from the Centre for research in economics and agri-food development (creed), private foundation created by the UPC and IRTA. "Using different, but complementary methodologies, and analyzing the productive sectors of different European countries, our mission is the to identify the factors that determine the processes of transmission of prices in the agricultural production chain", said Jose Maria Gil, director of the creed and coordinator of the working group thatwithin the framework of the TRANSFOP Consortium, is devoted to the study of this sector. "From the comparison between the different regulations, commercial structures and business strategies of each country, hope define guidelines which can help to take appropriate political measures to promote the competitiveness of the European agri-food system, with particular attention to SMEs."

Over the three years of duration of the project, researchers will interact with the protagonists of each link in the chain of production, with the aim of jointly developing a possible Plan of action "to improve the transparency of the prices of food in every country of the European Community"concludes the director of the creed.