Planas and UPA sign the agreement to activate support measures for the countryside

MADRID, 3 Abr. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, and the general secretary of the Union of Small Farmers and Ranchers (UPA), Lorenzo Ramos, signed the agreement this afternoon to activate the support measures for the countryside.

Specifically, Planas presented to the agricultural organizations Asaja, COAG and UPA a document with 43 measures, including the implementation of ICO credits worth 700 million euros, strengthening the AICA and fiscal and flexibility measures for the Agricultural Policy. Common (PAC) to respond to the demands of farmers and ranchers with the aim of reaching an agreement and putting an end to the rural mobilizations of recent months.

In this way, UPA is the first of the agricultural organizations to accept the proposal presented by the Government that has measures related to the cross-border trade of agri-food products, the reinforcement of the application of the law of the chain, the improvement of the insurance system agrarian or the strengthening of policies to facilitate generational change in coordination with the autonomous communities.

Thus, among them stands out the creation of a MAPA-ICO-Saeca credit line of up to 700 million euros, of which 200 million euros will go to young farmers and the generational replacement of the sector and the remaining 500 million for farmers. and ranchers.

In addition, the reduced rate for hydrocarbons for agricultural use is maintained, in addition to the deduction in Personal Income Tax (IRPF) of 35% on fuels and fuels and 15% on fertilizers.

While in consideration of the current situation of the agricultural sector, a 15% reduction in the net yield will be established for the income declaration through the module system and the calculation of income will be adapted for the application of the maximum tax limit. by this system.

The proposal, which UPA signed this afternoon, also includes proposals ranging from the simplification and flexibility of the CAP, some of which will not be applied this year, as well as the creation of a working group to evaluate exports and imports. .

In addition, farms with less than 10 hectares of surface area are exempt from controls, which benefits some 345,000 farmers, 55% of recipients of CAP aid in Spain, and measures are adopted to encourage the application of the digital notebook. exploitation, which becomes voluntary, and it is proposed to the European Commission to eliminate the obligation to present georeferenced photos with aid applications to demonstrate the state of the crops.

In terms of livestock, the date for the obligation to have a comprehensive health plan on farms and for the electronic identification of bovines is extended and certain requirements of the bovine management decree are made more flexible.

On the other hand, the Government has committed to improving and strengthening the inspection capacity of the Food Information and Control Agency (AICA), which will become a state agency, which will have a greater structure to increase commercial relations subject to control. .

The general secretary of UPA has pointed out that the time for mobilization "has passed" and, for this reason, they have already joined the Government's action since this agreement includes the main demands of the sector.

"As representatives of the sector we could not allow this agreement not to be signed due to the risk that many of the points addressed here could fall. We believed that we had to take the step now and we hope that the rest of the organizations will join soon."

Likewise, Ramos was pleased that this avenue of dialogue with the Government is open and has asked some regional administrations to be available to respond to the demands of farmers and ranchers "in their areas." "It is up to the Autonomous Communities to open this channel of dialogue and dialogue to close agreements," he said.

For his part, Minister Planas has valued the signing of this agreement as "a step forward" in the Government's strategy to respond to the requests and concerns of the agricultural sector, while positively highlighting this "joint work."

Looking ahead to the next few days, the head of Agriculture hopes to be able to sign agreements with the rest of the agricultural organizations, which he respects both their ways and their times. "Maximum respect for the autonomy and dependence of these organizations; they know better than anyone what the interest of farmers and ranchers is," he claimed.