Magrama advocates a competitive sugar beet industry in the future without quotas
Undersecretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment (MAGRAMA), Jaime Haddad, expressed the support of his Department to sugar beet industry, the defense of culture and its commitment to the maintenance and promotion of the activity in order to compete on a stage without quotas.
Haddad, who has made these statements on the occasion of the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Association for Research Improvement Cultivation of sugar beet (AIMCRA), held in Valladolid, recalled how, in the context of Reform of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the Ministry defended the need for aid to crops or productions for its socio economic importance, such as beets. Spain resulted in the outcome of that negotiating efforts in the establishment of aid with a budget of 16.8 million euros, in addition to the amounts that farmers receive in respect of Basic Pay and Pay Verde or “greening” .
And also as a result of these negotiations. was achieved that the disappearance of quotas was postpodaned two years, won additional time for the sector could prepare for the new scenario. “Thus, Hadd added, we have ensured the competitiveness of the crop in Spain, and we can get it placed in good starting position facing the stage without quotas starting in 2017”.
To face this future, the undersecretary explained that, with the sector, the Ministry is developing a Strategic Plan for the sugar sector, so as to identify what the weaknesses are, but also what are the opportunities in this new scenario.
In this line it has raised the need to examine the situation of the industrial sector, in order to maintain their competitiveness and thereby guarantee the future for the whole sector. As producers it has assured that the Ministry will be vigilant so that the profitability of the crop, so that farmers can continue their activity is maintained. “Therefore, said Haddad, we will defend that the level of support to this crop by the CAP maintain this profitability.”
Collaboration of AIMCRA
In that support to the sector, he highlighted the work of AIMCRA, whose recommendations for improved varieties, plant protection, planting, watering and fertilization are those that have allowed the continued cultivation in our country, improving efficiency, reducing production costs and increasing yields, while in the latter parameter also at the head of the neighboring countries.
Thus, concluded the undersecretary, the results in these almost 20 years of cooperation have been very satisfactory allowing transfer achieved innovation in the field of plant breeding and official trials, helping to continually renew the plant material is placed available to beet growers to increase their competitiveness, with the final result of the placing on the market of new varieties of beet for the ultimate benefit of the whole sugar beet industry.
Source: MAGRAMA
