SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, Oct. 20 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food Sovereignty of the Government of the Canary Islands will implement direct aid worth about eight million euros aimed at compensating for the increase in the costs of inputs assumed by Canarian livestock farmers since the COVID pandemic and as consequence of the war between Russia and Ukraine.
This was announced this Friday at a press conference by the area’s counselor, Narvay Quintero, who explained that this line of support, which will be granted before the end of this year, includes a supplement for women, young people, and ranchers with farms on non-capital islands.
Accompanied by the general director of Livestock, Andrés Díaz Matoso, the head of the Department explained that the livestock sector “suffers” since 2021 from the increase in prices of raw materials for animal feed, as well as energy and fuels, a situation that It has been aggravated by the war in Russia and Ukraine, “and it becomes even more complex in the Canary Islands, due to the dependence on external inputs and the extra cost of transportation derived from its remoteness and insularity.”
The increase in feed prices since the start of the war exceeds 39.3% in practically all livestock subsectors, and if compared to those of 2020, the increase is 51.7%, according to a note from the Counseling.
“Producers in the livestock sector also have serious difficulties in transferring this increase in costs throughout the chain, so their profit margins are being seriously compromised, which puts the maintenance of an essential sector in our societies at risk. islands, which guarantees the supply of our markets, is essential to maintain and reactivate the rural areas of the Canary Islands, and contributes to reducing our foreign dependence,” said Quintero.
In this context, the European Commission adopted a Temporary Crisis Framework on 23 March 2022 to allow Member States to take advantage of the flexibility provided in state aid rules in order to support the economy in the context of the Russian invasion. to Ukraine.
Thus, the competent authorities can grant aid for limited amounts in the form of a direct subsidy to companies or self-employed persons affected by the crisis.
INCREASE IN RAW MATERIALS
“For all this, from this Canarian Government we have established as a priority to seek the necessary funds to try to alleviate this increase in the cost of raw materials that directly affects our ranchers,” commented the counselor.
During his speech, the general director of Livestock highlighted that complementary aid consisting of an additional 5% will be granted when the beneficiary owner of the livestock farm is a woman or young person (that is, under 41 years of age at the time of granting ), and 16% when the farm is located on the islands of El Hierro, La Gomera, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and La Palma.
Andrés Díaz Matoso also referred to the procedure for granting this aid, which, being direct, does not require the publication of a call or application by interested parties.
“This procedure has been initiated ex officio in this department, we will then publish a concession resolution based on the UGM (Large Livestock Units) of each farm, after which the beneficiaries will have five days to present, through the electronic headquarters, a sworn statement,” he commented.
Companies or active self-employed persons who own goat, sheep, pig, beef, rabbit and poultry farms that are registered in the Registry of Livestock Farms of the Canary Islands, with a census duly updated in accordance with current regulations, may be beneficiaries of these subsidies. and that they have at least 5 UGM (Large Livestock Unit).
The aid will be granted proportionally based on the census of each farm, extracted from the Registry of Livestock Farms of the Canary Islands, using the equivalence table to equate the different species to UGM that is annexed to Decree Law 13/2022.
The data used from the census will be those provided by the holders in the last valid census declaration.
This measure will be compatible with other subsidies, aid, income or resources for the same or different purposes, coming from any administration or public or private entity, national, European Union or international organizations, provided that their accumulation in relation to the The approved action does not exceed the limits provided for in the applicable European Union regulations, that is, 270,000 euros.
REA MODIFICATIONS AND SUPPORT FOR THE BEEKEEPING SECTOR
During the press conference, the counselor referred to other measures implemented by the Canary Islands Executive to support the livestock sector of the archipelago, among which he highlighted the two modifications to the Specific Supply Regime (REA) that have led to the improvement of aid for animal feeding.
The first measure was carried out in July 2023 and resulted in an increase of 20% (the maximum allowed by Europe) in the amounts for the purchase of raw materials for the production of livestock feed.
In September, a second modification was made to the REA balance aimed at increasing feed items with the aim of guaranteeing the continuity of economic aid until December 31 at the levels increased in July, and that the volume was sufficient to that the livestock sector would have the necessary food until the end of the year and could see its production costs reduced.
Quintero also recalled that the regional government has proposed to Brussels to incorporate feed intended for beekeeping into the REA for the 2024 campaign.
