The Minister of Agriculture, Assunção Cristas applauds the increase in the number of young farmers in the Algarve who had submitted projects under the Rural Development Programme.
In the year to July there have been 978 agricultural projects approved, 427 from young farmers representing 44% of the total, according to the Regional Directorate of Agriculture and Fisheries in the Algarve.
"We know that with previous EC funding rounds an average of 100 farmers have been supported. In this current round we have more than 400 enrolled," said the minister who was pleased to see what she considered "a sign that young people are seeking an interesting alternative in their careers," as in desperation many turn to agriculture due to the huge grants available.
Cristas was speaking at the Sweet Potato Festival in Aljezur, western Algarve where she took the opportunity of launching a challenge to producers to experiment and use the potato to make innovative products, such as crisps which can be mixed with other dehydrated vegetables, or incorporated into purees, soups and even sausages.
Sweet potato crops now can be certified to give them an added 'Algarve' cachet, "We not only have more production but can get a higher overall value when producers have crops that are certified," said the fragrant Cristas, stressing that there will be "funds to support this" and after the domestic market is satisfied there are export opportunities.
Cristas reminded farmers, as if they needed any reminding, that applications for the 2014-2020 EC grant programme opened on 15 November where they could get a share of the €27 billion on offer, even though the region's farming and maritime sectors have access to a smaller proptional part of the funds availalable than other areas.
On checking where these funds are to be allocated it is the distribution that is skewed away from the Algarve towards Portugal's institutions and businesses which may access €21.46 billion in investment under these EU regional development policies.
€4.06 billion is for rural development, €392 million for fisheries and the maritime sector in general. The Algarve is mostly maritime and agricultural so discontent has arisen despite the fact this is free money from taxpayers in the wealthy north of europe.
