PS/Azores accuses Government: “Give with one hand and take with both”

“ Ocosts continue to rise. There's support coming in late. Investments that don't advance. And commitments that remain unfulfilled. True, the [Regional] Government does not control markets. But he is responsible for the policies he adopts, for the promises he makes, for the delays that depend on him and for the responses he prepares ", said Mrs. Patricia Miranda.

The Socialist spoke in the plenary of the Regional Assembly in Horta at the start of the urgent debate on the situation of Azorean agriculture and the increase in costs in the primary sector requested by the PS/Azores.

Patrícia Miranda pointed out that, over the past six years, feed and fertilizer prices have increased by 26% and 193%, respectively, while colored diesel has risen by almost 50 cents per litre in the last eight months.

“ In May, the PS/Açores proposed a 15 cent support per litre for agriculture and fisheries. The government's on the dime. For, on September 1, the price increases 16 cents per litre. They give with one hand, to then take with both ", reinforced.

She criticized the Regional Government (PSD/CDS-PP/PPM) for keeping the “money in the region’s coffers when it should be in the farm accounts” and argued that the “success of agriculture is not measured by the money announced”, but by the “capacity to maintain viable farms”.

The Socialist also aimed at the “promises that stand in the way”, giving as examples the creation of a Milk Price Guarantee Fund, the Rural Young Azores Program, the Laboratory of Innovation of Milk Products and the review of the legal regime of cooperatives.

“If the price of milk continues to fall, where is the Guarantee Fund? And how far is the government willing to go to defend producers' income? Farmers do not ask the government to solve what it does not control. They ask you to do well, and in time, what depends on you ", insisted.

Patricia Miranda defended the importance of “responding to today’s problems” and “preparing tomorrow’s problems” because we need to ensure “answers before the difficulties turn into crises”.

“Governing agriculture and fisheries is not announcing an answer after the problem has already arrived,” he stressed.

The Azores Agricultural Federation (FAA) revealed on Monday that farmers in the region will have access to 10 cents per litre of support for the agricultural diesel announced by the Republic, but warned that this is insufficient.

The parliament of the Azores is composed of 57 deputies, 23 of whom from the PSD bench, 23 from the PS, five from the Aquida, two from the CDS-PP, one from the IL, one from the PAN, one from the BE and one from the PPM.