The Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Forestry welcome the fact that the Azorean Milk and Dairy Centre (CALL) is launching this year a new application for European funds in order to promote regional dairy products.
 
"CALL is working to see where it can improve the application so that it may submit again in the new application period, which is currently running and ends in April," said João Ponte. He spoke in Ponta Delgada on the sidelines of a meeting with the Board of the Azorean Milk and Dairy Centre.
 
According to the Secretary for Agriculture, it is fundamental for the Region to use the Community funds available for this type of campaign, to disseminate Azorean dairy products and to conquer new markets in order to "enhance the value" of regional products. This will subsequently increase income across the entire value chain.
 
None of the eight Portuguese applications submitted under the measures for the promotion of European agricultural products within the Community space and in third countries has been approved by Brussels.
 
"We must not lower our arms," João Ponte said, adding that he believes that CALL's new application will get the approval from the European Commission.
 
According to CALL, besides Canada, the new application aims to promote Azorean dairy products in the Chinese market, namely in Macao and Hong Kong.
 
The Regional Secretary also announced that the Government of the Azores will move forward this year with the update of a study conducted two years ago on the economic and financial sustainability of farms after the end of milk quotas in the European Union.
 
The Regional Government's intention was welcomed by CALL, given the importance of having an exact notion about the reality of the sector.
 
"We believe it is important to update this study because, in meantime, there was a series of variables that changed, namely the price of milk, the growth of some farms and the reduction in the number of producers," said João Ponte.
 
The Regional Secretary also considered that this document could be important for the post-2020 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in order to sustain the defence of the Azorean regarding the increase of POSEI funds.
 
At the same time, CALL will also commission a comparative study on Azores milk with national and European counterparts from an internationally certified company. It is primarily intended to highlight the quality of milk produced in the Region.
 
"With this document, we intend to draw competitive advantages in terms of milk production and, therefore, an increase in the price of milk paid to producers," said the government official.
 
João Ponte stressed that the Azores have exceptional natural conditions for milk production from grazing, thus resulting in high-quality milk.
 
The primary mission of the Azorean Milk and Dairy Centre is to monitor and take action in the regional milk and dairy sector. The Regional Government, through IAMA (Institute for Food and Agricultural Markets), at the board as well as the dairy production and industry associations.