The CHEGA parliamentary group of the Assembly of the Republic has submitted a draft resolution recommending to the Government of the Republic the extension to the autonomous regions of Madeira and the Azores of the extraordinary support for the agricultural sector created in 2023. The decision of the executive to limit these measures to the mainland is, according to CHEGA, unacceptable and a violation of the principles of cohesion and territorial continuity.
In a press release, Francisco Gomes, deputy of CHEGA elected by Madeira, underlines that island agriculture faces costs associated with transport, energy, logistics, and exports, factors that compromise the sector’s competitiveness and aggravate the vulnerability of rural communities. For the parliamentarian, the exclusion of farmers from the region’s autonomy represents discrimination and disrespect for island citizens.
“Farmers in Madeira and the Azores are being treated as second-class Portuguese. The government created support to mitigate inflation and production costs, but forgot to identify which territories may be more at risk. This is an attack on territorial cohesion and a lack of respect for those who work the land.” Francisco Gomes
Ana Martins, CHEGA deputy elected for the Azores, underlines that the proposal presented aims to ensure that any national measure to support farmers’ incomes or mitigation of agricultural crises is automatically applied in the autonomous regions, without the need for new diplomas or additional decisions by the Government.
“It is unacceptable that, in the middle of the 21st century, a farmer from the Azores or Madeira receives less support than a farmer on the continent. Island agriculture is strategic for Portugal, and it must be treated as such. CHEGA demands equity, respect, and justice towards the farmers of our islands,” he said.
With this initiative, CHEGA says it asserts itself as the voice of island farmers and demands that the state treat all Portuguese in the same way, regardless of whether they live on the mainland or in the outermost regions.
In another statement, farmers and businessmen warn of the “devastating impact” that the end of POSEI could have on Madeira. AntĂłnio Jardim Fernandes, from ACIF, fears the abandonment of farms, unemployment, and economic losses, while JoĂŁo Ferreira, from the Farmers’ Association, stresses that consumer prices will inevitably rise if the programme ceases to exist.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
