Agate, Asaga, COAG, Upa, La Candelaria Cooperative, Drag Federation… The vast majority of the agricultural organizations and associations of Tenerife have made a common front to defend the interests of a sector that faces “an extreme situation” basically due to the high cost of products to feed their animals. The picture has worsened even more with the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Casa del Ganadero, in La Laguna, hosts today (7:00 p.m.) a meeting to specify this unitary line. At the moment they have signed a document, delivered a few days ago to the President of the Government of the Canary Islands, Ángel Víctor Torres, in which they demand, among other things, a specific help line. The Island Council announced yesterday the Advance notice of the grant intended for feeding cattle, endowed with 1,355,000 euros.
There are three main lines of the proposals presented to the regional Executive and aimed at alleviating the aforementioned increase in the price of food. In the first place, compensatory aid lines for that increase. Likewise, introduce modifications to the Specific Supply Regime (REA) of the Canary Islands. Lastly, to favor the transfer, by the farmer, of the increase in his costs to the sale price.
1.3 million euros
- Specifically, 1,355,000 euros. The amount destined to subsidize the feeding of cattle on the Island. The call is being made in advance and will open at the end of this month or the beginning of April.
The panorama, sources from the primary subsector explain, is that of skyrocketing prices with increases of 40% in a single year, and currently out of control. In addition to the impossibility of transferring production costs to sales prices.
To alleviate the increase in the cost of cereals and fodder, they highlight this line of specific support, similar to the one adopted by the Covid-19, modifications in POSEI and REA aid to compensate for the rise in operating expenses and the promotion of local fodder production. In addition, in order to favor the transfer, compliance with the Law of the food chain is requested in Canary Islands. The request is that resources be incorporated and decisions be made. Likewise, the sector demands the reinforcement of controls on livestock imports, in order to guarantee that legislation is complied with on labeling issues, or in relation to taxes such as the Excise Tax on Imports and Delivery of Merchandise in the Canary Islands (AIEM ).
The Council
The island councilor for Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Javier Parrilla, yesterday organized a new meeting of the monitoring commission on the agri-food impact of the conflict in Ukraine. Representatives of the most representative associations participated. Grill has transferred that the call for aid for livestock feeding, worth 1,355,000 euros, will open between the end of this month and the beginning of April. “The Russian invasion generates uncertainty in the sector, so it is essential that farmers have the aid as soon as possible,” says Parrilla. He adds: “We propose to the groups that their associates prepare the necessary documentation.”
«The objective is to alleviate as much as possible the enormous impact of the war in Ukraine»
The counselor also reported that he has taken to the Insular Council of Government, by way of urgency, the aid of 100,000 euros for the improvement of the sanitary quality of livestock farms. He announced that he is working with the Government of the Canary Islands to start the Tenerife Forage Plan. “The objective is to try to mitigate, as far as possible, the great impact on our primary sector of the war in Ukraine.”
Reclaimed water for the Northeast
CC-PNC “celebrates that the PSOE now rectify and promote the use of reclaimed water in the Northeast of the Island.” The nationalist councilor Antolín Bueno presented a motion in 2020 to facilitate the supply of water from the Valle Guerra WWTP to the Valle Molina reservoir “which was rejected”. He also presented an amendment to the 2022 budget for the installation of the union network in the water conduction between both infrastructures “which was opposed by the government group.” Bueno values: «The agricultural and livestock sector has been demanding it for years and it seems that, finally, what we proposed is going to be done now». The counselor mentions «the rejected amendment to the budget with an initial amount of 250,000 euros. Now, three months later, they rectified and bet on reclaimed water for irrigation. | jdm
