The President of the Government of the Azores stressed on Monday the importance of agriculture in the context of Azorean economy, conveying the belief that, despite the constraints caused by the crisis, “the sector registers significant levels of stability and, from a strategic standpoint, an increase in its contribution to the sustainability of the regional economy.”

Carlos César spoke on Monday morning at the end of a session of the Regional Council of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development (CRAFDR), which brings together several departments of the Regional Secretariat for Agriculture and Forestry, organisations representing farmers and industrials, regional Chambers of Commerce and Industry, University of the Azores and Union of Agriculture, Food and Forestry.

For the President of the Government, “responding with increased competitiveness to the challenges in various sectors” is the major concern, whether in meat sector, which registers a significant growth, or in the dairy sector, which has registered a progressive modernisation, increased production and prices.

Furthermore, the Carlos César stressed the need for greater diversification in the agricultural sector, particularly the need to boost the areas of horticulture, fruit production and floriculture.
 
“It is important that the Azores focus on agriculture in order to reduce imports,” the President of the Government stated, stressing that these measures will reinforce a sector that, at the moment, “is already providing a response well above the average of any other sector.”

However, Carlos César alerted to the external factors that could affect this performance, mentioning the “very strange” policy pursued by Europe, particularly with regard to third countries.

“In our European Union, countries are very fast at closing borders to immigrants, but very slow at defending their production and restraining the import of products from outer regions,” the President of the Government stated, making a clear reference to the ongoing negotiations between the EU and MERCOSUL concerning the marketing of South American beef in the European market.

“There is a different criterion for a Libyan refugee who is treated more severely than a pound of beef from MERCOSUL,” Carlos César said, adding that it is situation is worrying not only from the human point of view, as it also reveals an ongoing trend for deregulation within the European Union.

The Regional Council of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development, which met at the premises of the S. Miguel Agricultural Association on Santana on Monday – is and advisory body whose mission is to support the Regional Secretariat for Agriculture and Forestry in defining the guidelines for the departments administered by the Regional Secretariat, ensuring the dialogue and cooperation with regional entities and organisations.