The Union of Unions of Growers and Ranchers believes that the Xylella bacterium is an issue that not only has an impact on the autonomous regions affected (the Regions of Valencia and Baleares), but that given its severity, it should also be addressed by national and European authorities.
Last week, the executive committee of the Union of Unions met in Valencia with its counterpart, the Unió de Llauradors, in order to analyse the situation and launch a joint strategy across the country that serves to inform growers and stop the bacterium's possible spread.
This organization believes that both the European Union and the Ministry of Agriculture must support the autonomous regions affected, following the confirmation of the detection of the Xylella (in the Region of Valencia and the Balearic islands) and "not to ignore an issue that is very serious and which could have lethal consequences for the agricultural sector in the areas affected if appropriate measures are not implemented and growers are not encouraged to uproot their trees."
The Minister of Agriculture, Isabel García Tejerina, is "the Minister of all Spanish producers and should not look away when it comes to the Xylella, delegating all responsibility solely and exclusively to the autonomous regions."
The Union of Unions pointed out that while there was great support from the European and national authorities back in the day to deal with the mad cow disease, the same would have to be done now with the Xylella. In this sense, the organization is asking for coordinated actions from the central government, so that eradication plans can be implemented in the affected areas and not just containment measures, with adequate and reasonable compensations for the growers affected.
In the opinion of the Union of Unions, "in order to quickly eradicate the pest and prevent its spread, it is necessary to ensure that there is an adequate financial support to motivate producers who detect it to report it, guaranteeing a fair compensation for them."
The Union of Unions has been making a great effort to inform producers in areas at risk; firstly, so that they are aware of the serious threat to their farms, and secondly, so that, knowing the symptoms, they immediately report any anomaly they observe in their trees.
Back in March, the Union of Unions asked the Ministry of Agriculture for information about the economic resources that were available from the Ministry in case of the detection of Xylella in the various autonomous regions and the compensations that were planned to be given depending on the crop, acreage, etc. It also asked Isabel García Tejerina to consider the uprooting and destruction of the trees as a matter of general interest, and therefore, that a similar procedure to that enforced for expropriations was used. The goals were, on the one hand, to ensure that the owners received a financial compensation, and on the other hand, that the principles of legal equity and security applied. The answer is not yet known, because it has not been given.
The organization also wants to investigate how the bacterium has entered Spanish territory and for the issue to be dealt with with full transparency.