Tejerina inaugurates Expoliva urging the Spanish olive sector to continue leading in production and quality

The Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and Environment, Isabel García Tejerina, stressed that Spain must continue to be a world leader in the production and quality of olive oil, for which the joint work of the Ministry, the Board Of Andalusia and the sector is required. For this reason, García Tejerina has encouraged all sectors involved to prepare for the future is even better.

Isabel Garcia Tejerina made these statements on the occasion of the inauguration of the XVIII edition of the International Fair of Olive Oil and Related Industries Expoliva 2017, act in which has been accompanied by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development of the Board Of Andalusia, Carmen Ortiz, and the delegate of the Government in Andalusia, Antonio Sanz Cabello. Tejerina has emphasized the importance of Expoliva, “a fair that grows in exhibitors, visitors and companies year after year, as well as in innovation and trends around this extraordinary product of which Spain is the world leader in production (more than 43% World production)”.

The minister has referred to Jaén as “the world capital of olive oil, since more than 80% of the national production takes place in Andalusia and 40% in Jaén”

According to García Tejerina, the importance of olive groves lies not only in its area (more than 2.6 million hectares), but also in its contribution to the socio-economic development of the rural environment, as well as its contribution to the Mediterranean Diet, Essential for healthy eating.

At the same time, García Tejerina has pointed out that Spain has an increasingly professional and better organized sector, which responds to market expectations, and will be able to find the balance necessary for farmers to see their work paid.

Tejerina stressed the export potential of the sector, allocating 60% of the production to foreign markets and has ensured that the Ministry of Agriculture is working to make olive oil reach more markets, and appreciate the value of this product and pay it properly

About the CAP

On the other hand, the minister has recalled that the Government made a good negotiation of the current Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), since Spain was achieved more than 47,000 million euros, of which more than 1 billion come each year to Andalusia. Also avoided the application of a flat rate and an increase of the eligible surface, which would have caused to lose important funds for the olive grove. “If a sector was in the mind of the Government at the time of the negotiation was Andalusia and the olive grove”, she said.

The Minister added that, although we are not in a moment of negotiation, the Commission has started a debate for the future CAP and the Spanish Government wants to influence from the outset in the Community institutions, through alliances with other Member States before that the reform be initiated.

García Tejerina has stated that “we want a strong position on the reform of the CAP from the beginning, where all the autonomous communities have room and feel reflected”

“This is precisely what the Sectoral Conference approved last April 24, and it is the great principles that we can begin to defend and influence in the Commission in the future proposal that it presents to enter into the negotiations”.

Source: MAPAMA

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