Vasco Cordeiro confident that agriculture will face challenges with the work and effort of all
The President of the Government stated in Angra do Heroísmo that the Regional Government is mobilising all its powers and resources to create the necessary conditions so that agriculture may overcome the challenges it faces, conveying his belief that it will be possible with the effort and work of public and private entities.
"The fact that we are mobilising all these powers and all these resources does not mean that the difficulties will disappear. It clearly demonstrates that the Government is on the side of all farmers and the dairy industry to overcome of greater difficulties the Region is facing, especially the island of Terceira," said Vasco Cordeiro.
The President of the Government spoke at the opening of the new facilities of Frutercoop Cooperative. He stressed that this investment over three million Euros also fulfils a regional goal that was assumed during this legislative period.
"We need to create conditions to not only reduce imports with our own resources, but also to encourage regional productions and turn them into an export sector," stressed Vasco Cordeiro.
In order to achieve this goal, the Government of the Azores, in addition to providing a series of mechanisms such as POSEI and the incentive support system for transport, also has the partnership of private institutions and cooperatives in order to accomplish this goal.
"The reason for this progress and evolution registered in various sectors, especially in agriculture, can be found in the partnership that is established, each time, between public entities and private companies; the latter has shown its availability to adhere to the existing support measures.
In his speech, the President of the Government stressed that the Azorean Agriculture faces major challenges, pointing out the example of the dairy sector.
"We cannot ignore these challenges in order to mobilise all our powers and all our resources to overcome this difficult moment," said Vasco Cordeiro. In this regard, the President of the Government reminded that the Government has already implemented a series of specific measures, such as the anticipation of the payment of Community premiums, seizing the possibilities offered by the European Commission. This allowed us to inject 54 million Euros in the economy." Moreover, he mentioned the increase of the dairy cow premium on the islands that are being most affected by this situation.
Vasco Cordeiro also stressed the structural measures that have also been developed, such as public investments to reinforce water and power supply to farms and the improvement of agricultural roads throughout the Region.
"This is not a time without difficulties, but the path followed by Azorean agriculture, either in horticulture and fruit growing or in milk and meat production, was done without challenges," the President of the Government noted, conveying his hope and confidence that it will be possible to overcome current challenges.