The Government will analyze in detail the damages suffered by the agricultural sector after the recent wildfires recorded in the country before giving the green light to possible specific aid for the affected farmers and ranchers. This has been confirmed by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, who has reiterated the urgency of reaching a "pact against the climate emergency."
During his appearance, Planas has avoided offering specific figures for now on the economic cost of the fires, recalling that many affected have not yet been able to submit the loss reports through agricultural insurance.
In any case, the minister has announced that the Executive will implement "the corresponding measures" when it has "a comprehensive picture" of the damages, and has noted that several autonomous communities are already supplying water and food to the affected livestock.
Regarding the origin of the fires, Planas has defended the professionals in the field after lamenting the "tension regarding a bad policy" on the use of machinery that could have been behind some outbreaks. He emphasized that "the vast majority of our farmers and ranchers not only respect the rules, but are the people who take care of our rural environment."
A broad pact against the climate emergency
In the context of extreme temperatures hitting Spain and much of Europe, the head of Agriculture has called on citizens and political forces for a "pact against the climate emergency that has nothing to do with political ideologies or any partisan approach, but is a necessity for the survival of our society."
In this line, he has highlighted the economic instruments already deployed by the Executive to facilitate the adaptation of the field: 350 million euros annually directed to extensive livestock farming, more than 500 million for the sustainable modernization of irrigation, and a "record" allocation of 315 million euros to support agricultural insurance.
Planas has also recalled the contribution of more than 1.1 billion euros a year to the eco-schemes to promote regenerative agriculture, and has highlighted the importance of the new genomic techniques authorized in the European Union to obtain seeds and plants more resistant to drought and extreme temperatures.
In the absence of a definitive balance, the minister has detailed that the harvested crops, certain permanent crops, and especially the pasture areas are among the main affected. He added that in the last two years the strict agricultural area "has not exceeded 9% of the total burned," with most of the damage concentrated in forest mass and underbrush.
Finally, Planas has warned of the seriousness of global warming by mentioning unprecedented records, such as the nearly 32 degrees measured at the Dragonera buoy (Balearic Islands), and striking alterations in fishing activity, including the presence of bluefin tuna in Irish waters or the purchase of octopus from the United Kingdom.