The rate of return of Azorean dairy farms is the best nationwide, registering an average two and a half times higher than the national average per unit of production.

These are the figures of the last Census of Agriculture, reminded the Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Forestry at the Azorean Parliament.

According to Noé Rodrigues, who spoke on a debate raised by a political statement made by CDS-PP on agriculture, this and other indicators are the evidence that the restructuring of Azorean agriculture is being carried out successfully.

With regard to these indicators, the government official mentioned that unlike the rest of the country, there has been no abandonment of agricultural land in the Azores. In this context, he also mentioned the fact that the Azores are the only Portuguese region with the highest number young agricultures as well as with the higher literacy rate.

Noé Rodrigues emphasised that production has significantly increased with the same number of animals and with half of producers compared to a recent past.

"The economic size of farms grew 70.4% above the national average and we have improved 85% of the grasslands and pastures unlike Mainland Portugal where 75% of grassland and pastures have not been subject to any kind of technical intervention, according to the information provided by National Statistics Institute," mentioned the government official.

On the other hand, the Regional Secretary recalled that "10 years ago the average quota per farm was about 90,000 litres and now it reaches 200,000 litres," while the total production is the highest ever, exceeding 540 million litres per year.

"If this is not restructuring, I ask which of restructuring is being mentioned," the Regional Secretary questioned, adding that the same is true at the level of diversification of milk products as well as of other agricultural and animal husbandry products.

In the area of meat production, Noé Rodrigues stressed the data evidencing "the major restructuring that has been carried out," mentioning that the allocation of slaughter premiums grew from 32,000 in 2007 to 71,000 in 2011.

On the diversification of agricultural activities in the Region, the Regional Secretary revealed that in 2007 the Government supported 410 hectares of land while in 2011 nearly 830 acres of land were supported, "registering a growth of 102% in just four years."

Furthermore, the government official reiterated the Regional Government's commitment to defend the maintenance of the milk quota system as it has "repeatedly done on several occasions."