The Regional Director for Rural Development stated that the growing engagement of Azorean young people in cattle farming and in agricultural diversification, such as horticulture, fruit growing and floriculture, is a clear sign that the sector has a future.
 
"Young Azoreans regard agriculture as an activity of the future. They want to dedicate themselves to this activity," stressed Fernando Sousa. He spoke Tuesday during the visit to a farm run by a young farmer in the municipality of Praia da Vitória, Terceira Island.
 
The visit to a horticulture farm aimed to demonstrate that, although cattle farming continues to main the activity in the regional agricultural sector, "the number of young people regarding agricultural diversification as an opportunity is growing. This is due to the greater consumption of vegetables, fruit and flowers grown in the Azores," noted Fernando Sousa.
 
"Hence, we will all gain from this situation because it allows us to improve our external trade balance and decrease imports," added the government official.
 
Under the current Community Support Framework, PRORURAL + (2014-2020), young farmers submitted 77 applications: 58 in cattle farming, 35 in the milk sector and 23 in the meat sector.
 
As for agricultural diversification, the Regional Director for Rural Development revealed that 19 applications submitted by young farmers have already been approved.
 
In addition to the support awarded under sub-measure 6.1, installation of young farmers, Fernando Sousa pointed out that young farmer from Terceira, whose farm he visited, submitted an application under PRORURAL+ amounting to almost 400 thousand Euros, with public expenditure of 226 thousand Euros.
 
"This is a clear sign of confidence in agriculture," said the government.