The Spanish Government, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, announced aid of 444.5 million euros to mitigate the damage caused by Dana in the municipalities of the “zero zone”, an amount who since The Valencian Farmers’ Association (AVA-ASAJA) describes it as “insufficient”in addition to demanding more additional measures “that respond to the real needs of the agricultural sector”.
From AVA-ASAJA they cautiously received the envelope of 444.5 million euros, since Dana affected more than 49,000 producers and 70,000 hectares.
Although they appreciate this immediate response plan, which includes assistance in restoring crops, livestock and machinery, they consider these measures insufficient and call for strengthening, as zero-interest loans, subsidies for specific treatments and an infrastructure reconstruction plan agricultural, so that farmers and breeders can resume their activity efficiently and safely.
Aid distribution
In order to know the extent of the aid announced by the Government, we must know its distribution. Who they are for and where they come from.
The first of these is linked to compensation for income and production losses: 200 million euros will be dedicated to compensating farmers and breeders which have suffered losses of more than 40% in their production, and will be channeled through the Spanish Agrarian Guarantee Fund (FEGA) and will complement the funds already provided for in Royal Decree-Law 6/2024.
To recover productive potential, a game of 180 million euros to finance the restoration of farms damaged agricultural land and replacement of unused machinery. In addition, this includes cleaning, debris clearance and reconstruction of rural infrastructure.
Also come into play credits and guarantees, via a financing line 60 million euros which will help farms to overcome the effects of the damage suffered.
And with the aim of support food distribution, there is a budget of 4.5 million euros which guarantees supplies to affected areas through donations and logistical support.
It should be noted that other tax initiatives are added to this set of measures, such as exemptions and module reductions, intended to relieve pressure on the agri-food sector in these emergency circumstances.
Farmers’ demands
AVA-ASAJA positively values the government’s efforts, even if it considers that the aid is insufficient to cover the real needs of affected farmers and breeders. SO, calls for this aid to be expanded and proposes the following measures:
• Increase in direct help to increase the amount allocated to the revival of agricultural and livestock operations.
• Zero interest loans which have several years of grace period to facilitate the economic recovery of those affected.
• Grants for fungicide treatments, with the aim of preventing the proliferation of diseases in damaged crops.
• Specific plan for irrigation entities that help communities and irrigation companies restore service.
• Reconstruction of roads and infrastructurewhich require an urgent and adequate repair plan.
• Program replanting with sufficient funds to replant the devastated plots.
• Expansion of municipalities beneficiaries in which all areas with agricultural conditions are included in the scope of this aid.
• 20% increase in remuneration of agricultural insurance and thus increase compensation for farmers in line with the measures for other insured assets.
• “Renew” plan for agricultural machinery, to contribute to the replacement of machinery damaged by DANA.
• Tax measureswhich include the imposition of zero modules, exemptions from social security contributions and rural IBI to ease the financial burden on the sector.
However, AVA-ASAJA calls on the authorities to “adjust aid to the real needs of an agricultural sector faced with a scenario of serious damage, and to give priority to the overall and rapid recovery of agricultural operations”, affirms the association Valencian,
