The coordinator of ENBA in Gipuzkoa, Xabier Iraola, has expressed his "disappointment" at the "closed-mindedness" of the Basque Government to implement a joint purchase of forage and to respond to other demands from the livestock sector to address the consequences of the drought.
Iraola, in statements to Radio Euskadi reported by Europa Press, has criticized the position of the Department of Food, Rural Development, Agriculture, and Fisheries during the meeting of the so-called 'forage table', held this Tuesday in Vitoria-Gasteiz.
The spokesperson for ENBA has reiterated his "disappointment" because the department has "shut itself off" from activating some of the instruments proposed in the meeting held at the beginning of August between representatives of the primary sector and the Basque Government, including the proposal for a joint purchase of forage.
"It is mentioned that there is forage in the local market; and that is true, but what happens is that in many farms they do not have 'cash' to face those supplementary purchases," he explained, warning next that farmers will have to assume "an additional cost" while livestock prices "are falling."
Likewise, he has again requested the declaration of drought for Euskadi, although he has admitted that "the required indicators" for such a declaration are not met, at least in an "official" manner, so he has pointed out that they do not care "whether the measure is adopted even without that formal recognition."
"We need solutions for the water supply for thousands of farmhouses that are not connected to the network and solutions for the lack of water in the basin," he added.
In light of this scenario, he indicated that farmers will assess what their "response" should be to the "closed-mindedness" of the Basque Government regarding their demands.