Sergio Botrugno, president of the Coldiretti of Brindisi, denounced the continuous attacks by starlings in the Apulian province. The species is protected but is able to devour many olives every day: the agricultural association has welcomed the authorization to removal of these birds in the olive grove plain, without forgetting the area of Bari. Authorized farmers will receive the regional card to intervene and take no more than 30 transfers (10 day), communicating the total withdrawals on a periodic basis.
This is therefore an important step forward, also because the primary sector often does not have the right tools for restrain animals such as hares and cormorants. The damage caused to the olive sector in the provinces of Bari and Brindisi is between 30 and 60%, particularly in the areas closest to the sea. The authorizations relating to the coastal plain of olive groves will be 266, with the operation made possible between 9 December and 20 January 2018.
Coldiretti also recalled the indirect damage, given that the starlings manage to destroy even the pitches where the olive harvest takes place. Finally, other problematic species should not be forgotten, in addition to dogs and wild pigeons, whose proliferation has damaged seeds and cereals.