The Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Forestry assured today that the Regional Government will do everything within its powers to prevent cuts in European funding under the Common Agricultural Policy, considering them unfair and unacceptable.
 
"The entire path followed by the agricultural sector in the Azores in terms of modernisation, innovation and production growth cannot be compromised. Hence, the government official considers that the cuts proposed by the European Union for the financing after 2020 are unacceptable," stated João Ponte. He spoke after the end of the visit to a coffee plantation in the municipality of Angra do Heroísmo.
 
According to João Ponte, the 5% cuts announced by the European Commission under the Common Agricultural Policy "would not be fair" in a sector that "contributes so much to the economy, creates many jobs, generates wealth and, above all, that has significantly evolved in the last years."
 
The Secretary for Agriculture stressed that the Azores are demanding more European funding, not only due to the good implementation of Community funds but also due to the "need to continue reducing asymmetries and compensating Azorean farmers for producing in an outermost region, with increased production costs."
 
"Over the last three years, there has been an increase of 25% in agricultural diversification under POSEI in the Azores. In the specific case of fruit growing, there was an increase of 10% between 2015 and 2017 as well as in horticulture," said João Ponte.      
 
Of the 90 applications approved under PRORURAL+ for the first installations, 30% are related to agricultural diversification.
 
With regard to the modernisation of farms, 20% of a total of 430 approved applications, that is, 90 applications concern agricultural diversification, representing a reimbursed investment over seven million euros and a public expenditure over five million Euros.
 
"There is clearly a growing investment of farmers in this area, as a result of the investments that have been made through the use of Community funds, i.e., the funds available under POSEI," said João Ponte.
 
On Terceira Island, there are more than 7,500 coffee plants in an area of four hectares.