Authorizations for new plants
To prevent the invasion of the PV subtracts thousands of hectares of productive agricultural land, Cia-Agricoltori Italiani di Puglia has delivered to Michele Emiliano, president of the Region, a proposal that modifies the current regulations on authorizations for new plants. The proposal is based on three principles: considering productive agricultural land as a common good to be preserved and used for crops; reserving the construction of new plants in industrial areas, disused quarries and on public buildings; limiting the use of agricultural land to land that has been uncultivated for at least 5 years. Furthermore, according to Cia Puglia, local administrations must finally have a say in the authorization process, asserting the characteristics and protection of the territory, so that authorizations that present profiles of unsuitability are not granted.
Value and vocations of the territory
The proposal was delivered to Michele Emiliano yesterday, Wednesday 21 May, during a meeting with farmers organised by Cia Puglia at the headquarters of Finoliva Global Service SpA in Bitonto. Gennaro Sicolo, president of Cia Puglia, declared: “The olive tree is featured in the logo of the Puglia Region. If entire olive groves continue to be uprooted to make room for photovoltaic panels, as has happened in Bitonto, we might as well change the logo and insert a stretch of black panels in place of the olive tree. It is absurd, paradoxical, that in the homeland of Italian olive growing, similar things happen. It is necessary to regulate authorisations differently, taking into account the value and vocations of the territory, protecting the primary asset of agricultural and agri-food production. Let us not allow ourselves to be colonised by those who disembowel our territories for interests that often reside thousands of kilometres away. Let us defend Puglia”.
Durum wheat prices
The proposal was studied and drafted by Massimo Fragassi, head of the Legislative Office of Cia Puglia. During the meeting, Sicolo also emphasized the Xylella issue, with the advancement of the bacterium now affecting BAT as well. The president of Cia Puglia then spoke about the collapse of durum wheat prices, denouncing the speculative maneuvers that force cereal growers to produce at a loss. “Agriculture in Puglia is experiencing an extremely delicate moment for the primary sector of Puglia, which faces crucial issues for its future, with a series of problems that erode the profitability of agricultural companies, affect exports and the recognition of the fair value of our products.
The shortcomings of the irrigation water system
It is not only the duties that are worrying, but also the solutions to be found for the gaps in the irrigation water system, the advance of Xylella, the increase in production costs in the face of the collapse in prices of various products, first and foremost wheat, but not only, and then the imperative need to have a Common Agricultural Policy through which Europe protects and enhances the work of farmers as the first custodians of the land and the main driver for the rebirth of internal areas". Emiliano explained to farmers that he believes it is necessary to quickly approve the decree on suitable areas. The President of the Puglia Region, receiving Cia's proposal, has undertaken to study all possible solutions, also discussing with the national government and the EU, to protect the environmental and agricultural heritage of Puglia from the massive invasion of photovoltaic systems on agricultural land. (Source CIA)
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