Farmers are getting ready for protests and caution that their expenses are excessive and they are unable to continue producing “at a loss”
SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, Feb. 7 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The authorities of the Canary Islands and the farming associations in the region have jointly agreed on Wednesday to urgently request a meeting with Janusz Wojciechowski, the European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, to address the issues faced by the primary sector in the Outermost Regions (ORP). This aligns with a previous meeting with the Agriculture Ministers of Spain, France and Portugal held a few years ago.
These decisions were communicated by the Canarian President, Fernando Clavijo, who highlighted the government’s support for potential protests by Canarian farmers who have been enduring similar hardships to their European counterparts for years.
The president acknowledged the presence of “unfair competition” due to the EU’s imposition of a set of “requirements, traceability, documentation and bureaucracy” on the primary sector, which are not mandated for third countries. This asymmetry disproportionately affects a region such as the Outermost Region where production is significantly more challenging.
Additionally, he emphasised that if the primary sector continues to be “suffocated”, competitiveness will decline, leading to the aging of the sector, lack of generational change and ultimately, the decline of the field and landscape.
Clavijo expressed his appreciation for potential measures to “alleviate” the situation and also admitted to receiving criticism from the sector for lack of promptness in the dialogue processes.
The Agriculture Minister, Narvay Quintero, acknowledged the “excessive bureaucracy” that is strangling the primary sector, benefiting “big companies” with “advisors” to handle documentation, and adversely impacting small farmers.
On the topic of ‘Agenda 2030’, he clarified that farmers are not against it but they want to be actively involved, as the additional burden significantly affects agriculture and implies extra production costs the farmers have to bear.
Quintero also criticised the EU’s “double standards” in signing trade agreements with Mercosur or Morocco, without requiring third countries to adhere to the same regulations enforced on Canarian producers, thereby undermining competitiveness.
UNFAIR COMPETITION WITH MOROCCO
As an example, he pointed out that following the latest European animal welfare law, the cages of the egg-laying hens had to be changed, leading to them being transferred directly to Morocco as they couldn’t be used in the Canary Islands. This incurred additional costs to livestock production, eventually leading to a higher price for the final produce.
Consequently, eggs from Morocco, along with meat flour, enter Europe from cages and under conditions not permitted in the Canary Islands, contributing to unfair competition as their production costs and legislations are lower. However, he cautioned consumers that products from outside the archipelago may not be as “healthy” due to traceability issues regarding their origin.
The minister also highlighted the “water problem” that needs to be collectively addressed to ensure affordable access to water resources for the primary sector.
ADVANCE POSEI AID
He stressed the need for farmers to receive the Posei aid in advance, to compensate for the reduction in EU investment, and advocated for stricter regulations for large stores to ensure compliance with the food chain law, as delayed payments ruin farmers.
The President of COAG Canarias, Rafael Hernández, confirmed the consideration of initiating protests as seen in other parts of Spain and Europe, as the rising costs cannot be passed on to the final price, resulting in continued losses for the farmers.
Hernández demanded that the Canarian Government adhere to the food chain law, ensuring timely payments for producers and covering production costs.
He welcomed the agreement to establish a “drought table” initiated by the Government, emphasizing the need for addressing water-related problems unique to each island and emphasized the utilization of regenerated water.
THEY DEMAND MORE INSPECTIONS TO COMPLY WITH THE CHAIN LAW
González called for increased inspections of supermarkets to ensure compliance with the food chain law, for fair distribution of costs and fair compensation for farmers, signaling potential upcoming protests unless measures are taken to alleviate the issue.
In conclusion, he expressed hope of getting everything “back on track”, fueling a strong desire for change among the affected individuals or groups.
