In a press conference, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights Anton Refalo announced that over 15,000 farmers and ranchers have been or are in the process of being categorised.
Minister Refalo stressed that through these regulations, the Government will be in a better position to understand the needs of farmers, design policies and provide targeted incentives to meet the needs of the different categories of farmers in our country. He maintained that the more focused these policies are, the more effective they will be and lead to greater benefits for those to whom they are addressed.
These regulations are considered crucial for the sustainability of the agricultural sector in our country and another step forward for the Government to continue to strengthen and build on the many important reforms and measures it has already taken in this area.
The Minister explained that by virtue of these regulations, the categories on which this categorization of farmers was to be made were published, both those who work crops, those who raise livestock as well as those who have a mixed economic activity. These parameters are based on an estimate of the sales of the holding, the annual income as well as on the size of the cultivated land or the number of registered livestock.
Therefore, Minister Refalo encouraged all farmers to participate in information sessions that will be specially organized, including to help them fill out the necessary forms and so that the authorities concerned have the necessary data.
“We are committed to continuing our work in favour of the farmers of Malta and Gozo and we believe that this categorisation will offer a solid basis for having specific policies and incentives for each category. In this way, we will be ensuring that the best possible use is being made of the resources we have and ensuring that agriculture in our country is productive and sustainable,” concluded Minister Refalo.
