Former Prime Minister Alfred Sant said the European Commission’s policy on Maltese Agriculture must be contested on all levels. The EU is very reluctant to apply special measures to Maltese farming. Dr. Sant, addressing the Labour Party General Meeting of Mġarr, said that in reply to a parliamentary question to the European Commission asking for more flexibility when considering the needs of Maltese farmers, Farm Commissioner Hogan argued that the common agricultural policy is already sufficiently flexible in this regard. “This view should be contested on all levels for sometimes persistence pays.” Insisted Dr. Sant.
Dr. Sant explained how Malta’s agriculture has characteristics that are very different from most other farming sectors in EU member states. “For instance the average holding in Malta is 1.2 hectare; in the bigger countries, the average farm is between 50 and 60 hectares.” said Dr. Sant.
Dr. Sant said that as of August 2014, he had made the claim that even though they did not export to Russia, Maltese farmers and pig breeders would need support and compensation as a result of the Russian embargo on food imports from the EU. On this matter, he made a parliamentary question. “In its reply, the EU Commission had been non-committal.”
Dr. Sant said that in September 2014 he again pressed the need to protect pigmeat producers in island states during a plenary debate on the situation in European agriculture, following the Russian embargo.
Finally, in October 2015, the European Commission had accepted to allocate 119,570 euros to Maltese pigmeat producers and to allow the Malta government to introduce extra compensation if it so wished. “The Maltese agricultural sector needs to continue to lobby for its special position to be given full recognition and support.” concluded Alfred Sant.

Maltese Version – IL-POLITIKA TAL-UE DWAR L-AGRIKOLTURA MALTIJA GĦANDHA TKUN IKKONTESTATA FUQ IL-LIVELLI KOLLHA

Il-politika tal-Unjoni Ewropea dwar l-agrikoltura f’Malta u f’Għawdex għandha tkun kontestata fil-livelli kollha għaliex ħafna drabi l-persistenza twasslek biex tirbaħ dak li huwa tiegħek”. Dan qalu Alfred Sant, Kap tad-Delegazzjoni Laburista fil-Parlament Ewropew meta indirizza l-Konferenza Annwali taċ-Ċentru Laburista tal-Imġarr Malta. ‘Meta staqsejt lill-Kummissjoni Ewropea għal aktar flessibilita` dwar il-ħtiġijiet tal-bdiewa Maltin u Għawdin, il-Kummissarju Hogan qal li l-politika komuni tal-agrikoltura kienet diġa` flessibbli f’dan ir-rigward.’ qal Dr. Sant.
Dr. Sant spjega kif l-agrikoltura Maltija għandha karatteristiċi differenti ħafna minn setturi oħra tal-biedja fi stati membri tal-UE. “Per eżempju bidwi f’Malta għandu 1.2 ettari ta’ ghelieqi, fil-pajjiżi l-kbar il-medja hija bejn 50 u 60 ettari”. Dr. Sant qal li f’Awwissu 2014 kien qal lill-Kummissjoni Ewropea li l-bdiewa u r-raħħala Maltin kellhom bżonn l-appoġġ u l-kumpens minħabba l-embargo tar-Russja kontra l-UE. Dan minkejja li dawn ma jesportawx lejn ir-Russja. “Meta staqsejt lill-Kummissjoni Ewropea biex tgħin lill-bdiewa u r-raħħala Maltin u Għawdxin, il-KE ma kkommettietx ruħha”, qal Dr. Sant.
Dr. Sant qal li f’Settembru 2014 reġa’ ppressa l-bżonn ta’ protezzjoni għall-produtturi tal-laħam tal-majjal fil-Parlament Ewropew wara l-embargo Russu.
Finalment f’Ottubru 2015 il-Kummissjoni Ewropea aċċettat li talloka €119,570 lill-produtturi tal-laħam tal-majjal f’Malta u li tippermetti lill-Gvern Malti jintroduċi kumpens żejjed. “Is-settur agrikolu Malti jeħtieġ li jkompli jressaq il-pożizzjoni speċjali tiegħu biex jingħata r-rikonoxximent u l-appoġġ li tant għandu bżonn”, sostna Dr. Sant.

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