The JPP reaffirms “its firm defence of Madeira’s sugarcane producers by proposing an immediate increase in the amount paid to the producer to 70 cents per kilogram of sugarcane delivered to the mills.”
“This position is of the utmost justice because it comes in a context of strong pressure on agricultural production costs, persistent inflation and low remuneration compared to the final value of processed products, such as sugarcane brandy,” reads a statement.
“In recent years, the JPP has accompanied farmers and exerted constant pressure on regional bodies so that producers receive fair remuneration, achieving important victories for producers, with sugarcane being paid at 60 cents/kg, that is, almost double the price that was paid to the farmer in 2023.”
Deputy Rafael Nunes says “that, contrary to the recent position of satisfaction expressed by the Regional Secretariat for Agriculture and Fisheries, the JPP is not satisfied, and therefore puts forward a new proposal: The increases achieved are always positive, but we can and should go much further. The reality is that this value remains out of step with the evolution of production costs and the prices at which derived products are sold to the final consumer.”
The JPP stresses that “paying 70 cents per kg to the producer is a necessary measure to re-establish economic equity, value agricultural work and ensure the continuity of an activity that sustains families, generates rural employment and contributes to the cultural and economic identity of the Autonomous Region of Madeira.”
The JPP states “that it will continue to work, in the Regional Assembly and with the Regional Government, so that this proposal is considered seriously, ensuring that the support mechanisms compensate for the effort of producers and reinforce the future sustainability of the sector.”
Many farmers have admitted to digging up their sugarcane plantations as they see it as labour-intensive and unprofitable.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
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