MEP questions government’s agricultural policy

Nationalist MEP Therese Comodini Cachia today said excessive bureaucracy and the lack of “reasonable flexibility” are an added hurdle to the local agricultural sector, whose challenges are often left unnoticed.

Comodini Cachia was said this after a series of meetings held with farmers and producers of agricultural foodstuffs in Gozo.

She pointed out that the local sector is phasing out of the financial support scheme for the industry agreed with the EU upon accession whereby over €1 million of direct aid to farmers was assigned to provide support to adapt to the demanding standards of opening up to competition through the removal of protective levies.

The MEP raised concern as to how much this scope was attained ten years down the line, questioning what level of priority is this sector being given particularly during sensitive negotiations on the direct support scheme within the context of the current budgetary period.

She also expressed concern on an issue concerning labelling, where an extension requested by stakeholders is being given the cold shoulder by local authorities. 

“I do not see why this can be permitted in Ireland, and other countries, but not Malta” says MEP Comodini Cachia; “more so if we are risking having €3 million worth of packaging going to waste,” she added.

During her discussions, the MEP referred to an investigation which started following a question she raised to the Commission subsequent to several reports which appeared in local media indicating the potential illegal use of slurry on agricultural land in Malta.  Of particular concern are health and environmental risks emanating from potential illegal use of slurry in Malta; which may hinder the promotion of good farming practices.

“This is serious from a public health point of view because washing the produce will not necessarily eliminate the risks” Comodini Cachia said.

In the case of non-compliance of specific farms with the Maltese Action Programme, the Maltese authorities are responsible for enforcing the law, something which now needs to be seen to according to the Commission’s findings.