The Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Forestry conveyed the importance of finding solutions for the aftermath of the end of the milk quota system in 2015 in order to provide Azorean farmers with “the capacity to face a market free of production restrictions by increasing their competitiveness in the market and reinforcing the efficiency of the sector.”
During a conference held under the theme “Which future for milk?” Noé Rodrigues stressed the importance of the steps that have been taken in the restructuring of the sector, its economic agents and in its modernisation” in order to provide a positive response to the changes that will occur after 2015.”
The Regional Secretary reminded the existence of a quota system that “has brought stability and predictability to the dairy sector.”
The dismantling of the entire control system between production and consumption “creates a period of anxiety when it not clearly known the guidelines for the future, which causes anxiety among producers,” stated the regional Secretary.
For Noé  Rodrigues, the entry into office of a new Commissioner for Agriculture in Europe “confirms the decision taken in 2003 regarding the dismantling of the milk quota system; therefore, we will continue the work to restructure the dairy sector, with fewer producers but skilled, the same animals, but more productive and in order to increase the efficiency of all agents in the sector so that they may be able to resist a freer market.