Spain calls on the EC to activate the CAP crisis reserve in the face of the "exceptional" drought situation

Planas acknowledges "concern" about the situation, but reiterates that the Government is working to offer responses such as tax cuts

The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, has sent a letter to the European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Janusz Wojciechowski, in which he requests the activation of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) crisis reserve and the possibility to use by the autonomous communities the unexecuted amounts of the EAFRD to support farmers and ranchers in the face of the "exceptional" situation of drought.

Specifically, Planas has advanced, in the press conference after the Council of Ministers, who sent this letter to Wojciechowski yesterday, in which he requested these measures. "We understand that there is an exceptional circumstance. I expect a prompt reaction from the European Commission, although I know that decisions take time, but it is perfectly justified by the exceptionality of the situation", he specified.

According to government sources, the endowment for the activation of the CAP crisis reserve that Spain has requested would be around 450 million euros globally, although it has not been specified how much of that total would correspond to Spain.

The minister has also indicated that he has transferred to the EC that in the advance that occurs each year on October 16 of the declarations of the CAP, which is usually 50%, this amount is raised to the "greatest amount possible".

The head of Agriculture has advocated making the conditionality of collection of the basic income and sustainability aid more flexible, as well as the adaptation of the eco-schemes to the current situation of drought.

"We hope sooner rather than later to have a response from the European Commission and I am convinced that other EU countries, such as Portugal, will join this initiative," he said.

In this way, Planas has reiterated the Government's "commitment" to the primary sector, adopting measures such as the one published this Tuesday in the Official State Gazette (BOE) establishing a general reduction in net income of 25% in the Personal Income Tax (IRPF), which will benefit 800,000 farmers and ranchers who are taxed by the system of modules.

"It is a long-awaited measure that has immediate effect. It is an exceptional increase, an additional effort to compensate for this exceptional circumstance," he reiterated, recalling that in the case of olive groves, almond trees and beekeeping, the reduction amounts to 50%, while it is 30% for cereals, oilseeds and legumes, chestnut, peach, nectarine, apricot and other livestock sectors.

In addition, Planas has recalled that this order of the Ministry of Finance also allows taxpayers in objective agricultural estimation of personal income tax to reduce the previous net yield by 35% for the purchase of agricultural diesel, and 15% for the purchase of fertilizers.

The head of the branch has highlighted that the 1,807 million euros, which is estimated to be saved in this measure, is the "highest figure that has ever been seen in this country" for the more than 828,000 Spanish farmers and ranchers.

In this way, the Minister of Agriculture has congratulated himself on this support measure for the primary sector, which has been reinforced with the approval by the Council of Ministers of three agreements for the territorial distribution of funds, totaling more than 292 million euros of support for farmers and ranchers, as well as the 317.7 million euros for the agricultural insurance system this year.

"The Government continues to work hand in hand with the sector looking for the appropriate responses to this situation. We are concerned, but the sector knows that the Government is always by its side and we will continue to support farmers and ranchers in this difficult circumstance, but one that we will get out of. of her," he assured.