Visit of members of the Committee on Agriculture and the Sea to the Azores is very important, says João Ponte
The Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Forestry considered that the visit of the members of the Committee on Agriculture and the Sea of the National Assembly to the Azores is "very important," stressing that it will allow them to know the reality of the agricultural, forestry and maritime sectors on the spot.
"In the future, they will have an actual knowledge matters that have to do with the Azores, namely regarding the reality of our agricultural, forestry and maritime sectors," said João Ponte, who spoke on Thursday in Ponta Delgada at the end of an audience with the members of the aforementioned committee.
The visit of the members of the Committee on Agriculture and the Sea, runs until Monday and will cover the islands of Terceira, São Jorge, Pico and Faial. It will pay special attention to agriculture, milk, sea, vineyards and agroindustry.
João Ponte pointed out that the meeting with committee members, held at Santana Palace, also addressed the contribution rates of farmers to Social Security and the discrimination between producers who started the activity before and after 2011. In this regard, the government official conveyed his belief that if the matter has not been solved yet, "it was not due to lack of political will on the part of the Regional Government."
"These are complex matters and, of course, if they were easy to solve and if they did not involve financial envelopes they would have already been solved," said the government official.
This meeting also addressed the Government's action under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) post 2020, namely under POSEI, ensuring the willingness of the Regional Government and the entire sector towards an increase of funds in the next framework.
"We know that it will be a difficult battle, all the more because of "Brexit." Nevertheless, our status as outermost region and the increase in production in recent years gives us reasons to work in this direction together with European authorities and with the National Government," said João Ponte.
The Regional Secretary also highlighted the good use of the funds under the Rural Development Programme of the Azores - PRORURAL +, noting that more than 60% of the 340 million Euros allocated to the Azores have already been directed to investments; the payments made so far are higher than 30%.
João Ponte stated that the good use of funds contributes to the reduction of the costs of agricultural activity on the islands, which is fundamental for farmers at a time when the price of milk paid to producers is not desirable to ensure the sustainability and profitability farms.