The Minister of Agriculture and Lands of Venezuela, Jose Luis Berroteran, confirmed on Friday that Venezuela aspired to increase its agricultural production by 17% in 2015.
The minister's statement came after President Nicolas Maduro recently exhorted the enhancement of the rural and industrial activity; in face of the country's situation as oil prices progressively decline.
The Minister spoke about the areas where production would grow in the coming months.
"We have planned to increase production by 17% next year. This increase in production is linked to the increase in areas devoted to cultivating grain, specifically maize, sorghum, and rice," he said.
He also said that they were working with the productive units scattered throughout Venezuela to recover plant foods such as coffee and cocoa.
José Luis Berroteran emphasized that Venezuela had all the factors needed to increase its agricultural production by 17%. In this regard, he stated, the country had sufficient infrastructure and he highlighted the organizational capacity of Venezuela's farmers.
"The vegetable sector should increase by 20%, the livestock sector by 7% and the aquaculture sector by 10% (...) I'm sure we will succeed," he said.
In addition, the head of the ministry of Agriculture announced that the Government was in charge of the generation and possession of stake or botanical seeds, to ensure that domestic demand be supplied.
Berroteran also said there should be a closer relationship between state agencies and production units, to reduce the bureaucracy necessary for the enhancement of the farming units.
"We need an institution adapted to these times, that is more flexible, less bureaucratic, linked to the production system," he said.
The government official also said that one of the achievements of the Executive, in association with producers, was the installation of the Presidential Council of the Farmers and Fishermen's People's Government, which has enabled small and medium producers to participate in the taking of fundamental decisions of the state's structure.
Source: AméricaEconomía