Juan Antonio Gonzalez Real, the president of Fruits and Vegetables of Agro-food Cooperatives of Spain, said he agreed with the guideline established by the MAPA so that the distribution of direct payments from the CAP in the 2023-2027 period is more objective, simple, and fair.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez Real
“I absolutely agree with the minister's premise that two fruit and vegetable farms with similar characteristics should receive the same income support. In other words, we demand that all the fruit and vegetable hectares be included in the basic income support system and we regret that it hasn't been done before.”
“We are convinced that this is the only justifiable decision because:
- Spain is the only Member State that will get to 2023 without having undertaken the transformation that was entrusted to all the member states 10 years ago.
- In addition, it's not sustainable to keep referencing the productive reality of 2000.
- Furthermore, the open field or greenhouse fruit and vegetable farms face the same market and currently compete in unequal conditions.
- The debate should focus on analyzing the impact of the distribution of community aid on the sustainability and competitiveness of Spanish agriculture; which implies including all fruit and vegetable producers in Spain in the distribution of direct payments.
- This change is necessary to reinforce the legitimacy of the CAP budget before the group of producers and - above all - before the taxpayers.”
“Finally, we consider it unjustifiable to keep a part of fruit and vegetable producers out of the system, taking into account the particularities of this agricultural activity and its market.
- The sector is threatened by a growing competitiveness problem derived –among other things– from pressure on the Community market for imports from third countries.
- Agriculture is the biggest generator of labor in regions with high unemployment rates.
- It is a sector that reinvests every euro it receives from the CAP in the sector itself.
- It meets the new objectives set by the Green Pact or the Farm-to-Table Strategy.
- It contributes to making up the recommended healthy and balanced diet.
- It is a strategic economic activity for Spain, in terms of its contribution to the country's final agricultural production and to its trade balance.”
"In conclusion, I believe that in the future all greenhouse or open-air fruit and vegetable production farms should be taken into account for the distribution of direct payments in Spain, just as other European countries have done for years.”
Juan Antonio Gonzalez Real