The difficulties of Umbrian farmers
There seems to be no peace for the Umbrian farmers who, after the climatic damage to the productions and penalized by the increase in costs, continue to suffer from the raids of the wild boars which are increasingly threatening even the cities. That's what he underlines Coldiretti Umbria which especially in this period of the year continues to gather the desperation of entrepreneurs who see the work of entire years destroyed in a short time, from cereals to corn and sunflower, but also vegetables and grapes, with the presence of ungulates reported more and more often even within the cities. From Perugia to Gubbio, from Spoleto, also close to the cycle path in Terni. The result - recalls Coldiretti - is that over six Italians out of 10 (62%) are really afraid of it and almost half (48%) would not even take a house in an area infested with wild boars.
Not just damage
We need to strengthen the commitment at all levels - says Coldiretti - to facilitate every possible initiative and activity that contains the presence of wild boars, which not only destroy farmers' sowing and crops, but also move ever closer to the areas frequented by citizens, with growing health risks, for public safety and the road network. In the countryside - reports Coldiretti - the presence of wild boars pushes businesses to close, with evident damage to the regional economy, also amplifying the problems connected to the hydrogeological instability caused by the abandonment of agricultural activities. We need a decisive breakthrough on the containment of the species with targeted and large-scale interventions - adds Coldiretti - also aiming to enhance training for the personnel in charge, but also, as requested for some time, to develop the local wild boar supply chain for the marketing and traceability of meat, which is struggling to take off and which needs greater clarity and coherence.
The need for continuous commitment
As Coldiretti Umbria we continue to denounce how the situation is far beyond the guard limits, for this reason we need to expand the efforts of all the actors interested in solving this scourge that has been going on for too many years. But a continuous commitment is needed, taking into account that the proliferation and devastation of wild boars knows no stops. This is an emergency that compromises the survival of businesses - Coldiretti reiterates - impacting the economy, safety, environment and health, with risks also for farms with the spread of African swine fever. Without the presence of farmers, driven to abandonment by the siege of wild species - concludes Coldiretti - the first custodians and maintainers of the territory would be lost, left more and more at the mercy of climate change and those phenomena of devastation which unfortunately with now systematic frequency affect our country (source: Coldiretti).