The President of the Government of the Azores announced this Monday more than 9.5 million euros in measures for agriculture and revealed the “commitment” that national support in the context of the war in Ukraine will include Azores farmers.
“We are committed to opening a call on July 8 for investment applications in agricultural holdings, within the scope of Prorural+, aimed at the green, digital transition and water reservoirs, for a value of eight million euros,” said José Manuel Boleiro.
The leader of the regional executive (PSD/CDS-PP/PPM) spoke at the headquarters of the Presidency, in Ponta Delgada, after a meeting with the president of the Agricultural Federation of the Azores, Jorge Rita.
Bolieiro exemplified that This investment aims to support the construction of water tanks, the transition to sustainable energy or the modernization of farms, through “milking robots and the computerization of milking and animal feeding.”
Also in July, he continued, the regional government wants to “start putting into operation financial support for the payment of interest for the year 2023 within the scope of the financial support system for agriculture” for an amount of 1.5 million euros. .
The Government of the Azores will “liberalize support for agricultural diesel” from 2025, ending quotas and “limitations” on access to that fuel.
Bolieiro announced that, within the scope of the Strategic Plan of the Common Agricultural Policy (PEPAC), The Azores executive will increase the maximum investment support rates from 75% to 85%“reducing the rate of investment effort” of farmers.
The Azorean government will support young farmers by granting an “installation bonus” of 15,000 euros if the agricultural activity is carried out part-time and 40,000 euros in the case of full-time farmers.
The President of the Government of the Azores also said that he has a “commitment” from the Prime Minister and the Minister of Agriculture that the producers of the Azores will be included in the national support dedicated to the sector due to the losses caused by the war in Ukraine.
“We have this commitment. “It is the recognition that our demand was fair and that there was no other measure, if a government wants to be fair, than to extend national measures to producers in the regions,” he stated, recalling the “just demand” that the Azores have assumed on control since support was announced in May 2023.
José Manuel Bolieiro also promised that on July 8 the application period will open to encourage the “conversion of milk into meat.”
“The country has a meat supply deficit of around 50% in beef production, so here in the Azores we can continue to contribute to closing this food deficit,” he said.
On behalf of the Agricultural Federation of the Azores, Jorge Rita praised the measures, considering that the increase in maximum rates to support investment “has a great impact” for farmers and that support for the increase in interest rates is “great importance.”
The leader praised the maintenance of support for the conversion to meat, warning of the difficulties in farmers’ income due to the price of milk in the region.
“The issue of reconversion is not a whim. It is a question of necessity. There are many farmers who today do not have the means to stay in the dairy sector, but who want to continue being farmers,” he highlighted.
Jorge Rita revealed that the Azores Agricultural Federation also has a “commitment” that Azores farmers will be included in national support, which is a “very positive development.”
Source: Observadora
