Valencian Citrus Farmers to Benefit Tremendously

Article by: Hari Yellina

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, a total of 24.18 million euros will be committed to citrus fruit production, benefiting 29,400 citrus producers across the Valencian Community. “The Agriculture Sectoral Conference approved the aid’s territorial distribution, totaling 128.9 million euros, to compensate for the primary sector’s challenges caused by the war in Ukraine. The Valencian Community was able to gain the highest endowment for citrus farms, covering 110,400 hectares, or 80.5 percent of the plots in pro forma, thanks to the Ministry of Agriculture’s negotiating and mediation “activity,” said the Ministry in a statement.

“The aid is a recognition of the importance and significance of Valencian citrus cultivation, which is through a difficult campaign as a result of overstock and price collapse as a result of the Russian invasion, among other factors. Citrus fruits are the sole agricultural sector to benefit from these subsidies, thanks to work to identify and combat the threats to Valencian citrus production “Mireia Mollà, the Minister of Agriculture, noted.

The direct aid will be collected through the PAC’s single application and is intended for productions of less than 0.5 hectares. “The distribution confirms the sector’s uniqueness in the Valencian Community, which is characterised by small farming and land democratisation,” the Ministry stated. “The first aid instalment is aimed at producers with plots of land between 0.5 and 5 hectares, thus concentrating the largest number of beneficiaries and hectares.”

AVA-ASAJA expressed its gratitude to the government for responding to its request, which it made in various forums and disseminated in a communiqué on April 12 to approve a line of direct aid to citrus farmers to alleviate the serious losses they are experiencing as a result of the war in Ukraine in this campaign, which the agrarian organisation has described as disastrous. The help, which is given directly, will be collected before September 30 and will be used as the REGEPA reference area on December 31. Producers with 0.5 to 5 hectares would receive 300 euros per hectare, 5 to 10 hectares will receive € 250, and 10 to 30 hectares will receive € 190. To be eligible for the funding, you must either have collected the PAC by 2021 or make an environmental pledge.