The Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Forestry announced today the Government will conclude this year a study on the horticultural sector in the Azores, which intends to help producers adjusting their production planning to market needs.
 
"This is an important tool in terms of production planning that will also allow producers' organisations to make an adequate production planning in accordance with the needs of the market and the demands of consumers," João Ponte said, adding that the reduction of imports is another benefit of this study.
 
The Regional Secretary spoke in Ponta Delgada at the end of a meeting with the Board of Terra Verde Association to assess the last agricultural year and address the challenges for 2018.
 
For João Ponte, the study will still be useful to know horticultural production and imports on each island as well as to assess the areas where it is possible to grow in the future.
 
The government official stressed that horticulture, fruit growing and floriculture have registered "sustainable growth" in the Azores, however he stressed that there is still plenty of room to grow.
 
The focus on diversification, as a strategy to reduce imports of foodstuffs and to promote exports, is a means to boost the profitability of agricultural activity.
 
"In the last six years, the area eligible for aid under POSEI grew 10% a year. It increased from 700 hectares to almost 1,100 hectares in terms of horticultural, floricultural and fruit production areas," said João Ponte. The government official added that 78 first installation projects in these three areas were approved under PRORURAL+, corresponding to a public investment of 4.5 million Euros.
 
João Ponte stressed that the intention of Terra Verde Association to create a producers' organisation is "very positive," stressing that it will allow producers to reach better prices and improve their organisation.
 
The Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Forestry also added that the Government is revising the support for investments under the Support Programme for Agricultural and Forest Modernisation - PROAMAF. It will now include cover useful equipment for horticulture, as claimed by this agricultural sub-sector.