The Minister, in his intervention, at the Council of Ministers of Agriculture and Fisheries of July 18:
He pointed out the criticality of the situation in the global grain supply, confirming the country’s ability to contribute substantially to the transportation of grain from Ukraine through the ports of Thessaloniki and Alexandroupolis. In this context, he informed about storage possibilities of 20,000 tons in the port of Thessaloniki with the prospect of multiplying them to 38,000 in warehouses of the railway transport network. He also mentioned the possibility of storing and transshipping up to 200,000 tons of grain per month from the port of Alexandroupoli following proposed adaptations of the existing equipment, with EU funds.
He reiterated the need for continued support for farmers and ranchers who are affected by the huge increase in the prices of agricultural supplies and the existing restrictions on exports due to the invasion of Ukraine.
For the same reason he mentioned in particular the horticultural and vine sectors which are facing a negative profit margin due to the prices of agricultural inputs and reduced exports. He informed about the choice of the country to strengthen these sectors, through the available funds from the crisis reserve, giving priority to the members of Recognized Producer Organizations that implement operational programs in the year 2022 and apply practices, friendly to the environment, in accordance with the specifications of the regulation . Based on these, there will also be support for wine grape producers in our island regions.
In addition, he stated that the country’s livestock farmers are planned to be strengthened in the near future through the funds of rural development after proper preparation of the relevant emergency measure.
He strongly supported the exemption from fallow and crop rotation obligations for the year 2023 as well, so that uninterrupted food production is possible for this critical period.
He asked for the possibility of changing the country of destination in existing wine promotion programs in third countries to apply for the year 2023 as well, after the restriction of trade relations between the Union and Russia.
He emphasized the special concern of the Ministry of Agriculture for the continuous monitoring of developments in the national market and for the protection of consumers from any fictitious food price increases and from possible fraud phenomena.
He pointed out the need to continue the positive steps in the rational management of plant protection products emphasizing the need for proportionality based on the existing situation and the particularities of each member state.
He cited the importance of animal protection legislation during transport as a critical element in animal welfare issues. This specific issue is of high priority for our country given that the necessary framework for the preservation and development of the livestock sector should be ensured, taking into account the geophysical peculiarities of each country. And in the case of Greece, the inaccessible, remote and island regions.
Finally, he welcomed the Council’s initiative to strengthen the role of aquaculture. He emphasized that marine aquaculture in particular is a strategic sector of the country with an export orientation recognizable in international markets and a strong economic, developmental and social footprint within the country. It is essential to ensure access to water for the sustainable development of aquaculture.
Source: Capital
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