Confagri secretary general says meeting with minister was ‘disappointing’ and ‘just to correct mistakes’

Confagri Secretary General Nuno Serra on Tuesday felt the meeting with the Agriculture Minister was “disappointing” because it was limited to a package of 150 million euros in 2024 to “correct” a “set of mistakes”.

Nuno Serra spoke with Lusa after a meeting this Monday between the Minister of Agriculture and the confederations of the sector, namely the National Confederation of Agricultural Cooperatives and Agricultural Credits of Portugal (Confagri).

“The meeting was a little disappointing because in fact what we brought from there does not guarantee what the farmers want,” said the person in charge of Confagri, pointing out that in this meeting with Maria do Seu Antunes it was said that “ There was a package worth $150 million in 2024 to correct a number of mistakes made this year.”

Farmers “deserve a different approach,” he said, reiterating the need for a “reframing” of government policy, “especially in PEPAC.” [Plano Estratégico da Política Agrícola Comum]“which “can guarantee them income, stability and job predictability for many years.”

In this context, he said, the problems will not be solved with the delivery of 150 million in 2024, because this does not solve the “lack of predictability” and “the idea of ​​what the sector’s revenues will be in the next few years.” years.”

Stressing that he does not know whether the farmers’ protests will continue, Nuno Serra said that Confagri will stand in solidarity “with any type of demonstration.”

“We [solidários], because, in fact, it is not these measures that will change the general opinion about agriculture in Portugal. Much more than the 150 million in the 2024 envelope is needed. Much more needs to change in terms of policy, be it PEPAC or national policy, regarding the sector,” said the Confagri secretary general.

Nuno Serra said that after this meeting, Confagri will be called to another workshop where she will present her proposals for structural measures. That new meeting will take place “in the next few days,” but the date is not yet known, he said.

The government has unveiled an aid package worth more than €400 million aimed at mitigating the impact of the drought and strengthening the Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan, ensuring most measures will come into force this month except those dependent on a green light from Brussels.

The European Commission will prepare a proposal to reduce the administrative burden on farmers, which will be discussed by the 27 member states on February 26.

The protests by Portuguese farmers are organized by the Civic Farmers Movement, which joins demonstrations in other European countries including France, Greece, Italy, Belgium, Germany and Spain.