Forty million euros, equally divided between the areas affected by Xylella fastidiosa and the remaining part of the regional territory. This is what they foresee for the construction of new olive growing plants, the calls for tenders for the Rural Development Complement 2023-2027 whose publication is imminent. It emerged at the conference of Apulia confagriculture which was held within the Evolievo Expo in the spaces of the Fiera del Levante in Bari.
Another 40 million are earmarked to support Apulian agricultural businesses in the production of table grapes, citrus fruits and cherries. resources will cover between 60% and 100% of the costs incurred, offering a concrete opportunity to improve the competitiveness and sustainability of the sector.
Particular attention, as mentioned, is reserved for the areas affected by the Xylella fastidiosa, for which they were allocated 20 million euro. “These funds represent an essential first step in the reconstruction of our agricultural heritage devastated by the bacterium,” stressed Luca Lazzàro, President of Confagricoltura Puglia at the end of the event. “Apulian farmers have demonstrated an extraordinary capacity for resilience, but without rapid and concrete responses, the risk is that of losing entire production chains that are fundamental to the regional economy. Agriculture 4.0, digital tools, new technologies and research are no longer an option, but a necessity to be competitive. With the CSR 2023-2027 funds, strongly supported by Confagricoltura Puglia, there are 80 million euros earmarked for olive groves, vineyards, citrus and cherry orchards. More streamlined and accessible calls to give impetus to businesses”.
Confagricoltura Puglia underlines the need for efficient and timely management of available resources: "We cannot afford bureaucratic delays. European programming offers tools for relaunching and they must be made operational immediately. Farms need certainty and clear timeframes to plan their future. Confagricoltura Puglia will continue to urge institutions to ensure that these funds are used in the best possible way, without waste or delays."
“The future of Apulian agriculture depends on the choices we make today,” concludes Lazzaro. "We have the resources, we have the skills, we need an ever-increasing political will to transform promises into concrete actions. Our commitment will be total so that the farmers of Puglia can seize these opportunities and look to the future with confidence".
The conclusions were entrusted to Donato Pentassuglia, Councillor for Agriculture of the Puglia Region, and to Patrizio Giacomo La Pietra, Undersecretary for Agriculture. The conference was moderated by Beatrice Brizi, director of Confagricoltura Puglia.
