The first ordinance granting an additional support for the purchase of 10,000 tonnes of fibrous concentrate, straw and hay to feed cattle in regional farms was published today in the Official Journal.
 
The allocation of support follows the severe drought hitting the archipelago of the Azores, which has significantly affected the production of food.
 
The ordinance issued by the Regional Secretariat for Agriculture and Forestry, through the Regional Directorate for Agriculture, determines that the entities manufacturing, importing or supplying animal feed to agricultural producers in the archipelago may benefit from this aid.
 
This support granted by the Regional Government takes into account the atypical climatic conditions, namely the sharp and persistent decrease of rain that has been registered in the Azores since the beginning of March. The drought has significantly affected agricultural soils and, consequently, contributed the decrease in the production of forage crops.

The Government intends to reduce the negative effects arising from the lack of food on cattle and, accordingly, the drop of production and the decrease of farmers' income.

The Agrarian Development Services throughout the archipelago have been assessing and monitoring food decline and drought impact on farms.
Besides this aid to the purchase of animal feed, the Regional Government has also announced direct support to farmers in order to offset losses incurred in the production of maize forage and horticultural crops.
 
The Regional Government has already urged the National Government to request the European Commission to approve the anticipated payment of 70% of POSEI aid and 85% of the area-related aid under PRORURAL+ in order to face the exceptional drought still affecting the Region.
 
The Regional Government intends to anticipate the payment of 50 million Euros to regional farmers by two months. It will ensure the liquidity of drought-affected farms, being regarded as a "very important" measure.
 
The Minister of Agriculture, Capoulas Santos, welcomed the request from the Government of the Azores and requested the European Commission to anticipate the aforementioned payments. The European Commission will take the decision on July 27.
 
"We hope that the European Commission will be sensitive to this claim, especially since the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development noticed of the severe drought we are facing when he visited the Azores," said the Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Forestry.