Quintero and Barreto say that it will be approved “as soon as possible” and point out that it shields the owners from cultivating again or being compensated.
SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, January 18 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Government of the Canary Islands is finalizing the agricultural decree that will allow the reconstruction of the farms affected by the volcanic eruption in La Palma to begin, around 300 hectares, 260 of them dedicated to banana cultivation, owned by some 300 families in the Aridane Valley.
This was announced to journalists by the Ministers of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries and the Presidency, Justice and Security, Narvay Quintero and Lady Barreto, respectively, who have expressed their desire for the document to be approved “as soon as possible” after meeting with associations. agriculture of the island.
As with the urban planning decree, validated this Wednesday in Parliament, three zones are established: green, yellow and red, with a reconstruction that goes from the one that is already underway, on the margins of the flows, to the one that It depends on technical reports due to the thickness, height and cooling of the lava.
Quintero has pointed out that work is being done “at a forced pace” on the drafts that enshrine the recognition of the “right” of the owners to rebuild the properties, be financially compensated or be able to resume their activity in another part of the island.
“What this decree tries to do is to socially guarantee those farmers who cannot rebuild their farms within a certain period of time, that they have a social umbrella, both European and from the Government of the Canary Islands,” he said.
Barreto has pointed out that what the decree seeks is to “shield” the agricultural income model of La Palma “divided among many people” since it is what has given “wealth” to the island to ensure that people can return to farming or are financially compensated.
For now, an amount has not been set as compensation, but he sees the price set by the General Directorate of Agriculture in the last Legislature as “reasonable”, which stood at 44.06 euros per square meter.
Although the decree will allow the possibility of leaving agricultural activity, the counselor is in favor of reactivating the primary sector because “it is very important” for the island’s economy.
MANY FARMERS ARE GETTING A LITTLE TIRED
José Antonio Gómez, vice president of Covalle, has endorsed the content of the draft and has shown his desire to “push and row all together” to reactivate the economy in the region given that La Palma cannot “do without” agriculture.
He has also said that the majority “feeling” of farmers is to “go back to farming” although he recognizes that many are getting “a little tired” and it is likely that “many older people” will end up leaving the sector.
Raúl Martín, president of Cupalma, has indicated that “the number one priority” is to recover agricultural activity in the region because “many companies and families depend on the primary sector” and the aim is to rebuild it “in the shortest possible time.”
Along these lines, he has indicated that “the basic thing” is to recover the cultivated surface and then “innovate”, keeping in mind that we must prioritize the cultivation of bananas, the traditional one on the island, since the eruption affected the “medullary line” of the economy of the Aridane Valley.
“We are talking about a lot of money, many millions of euros that are being lost here and we need to recover all that surface,” he said, while indicating that they cannot “complain” about the collection of pending aid or about the support that the Government of the Canary Islands lends them.
