Agricultural sector 'at risk'

Opposition agriculture spokesman Noel Farrugia said yesterday that the government was about to sound the death knell on agriculture by imposing a tax on produce and fruit produced locally.

This would happen at the same time that the government lifted levies on imports from the EU.

Mr Farrugia said this policy made no sense and would be detrimental to the livelihood of thousands whose jobs were linked to agriculture.

He insisted that agriculture deserved protection and such protection would be re-introduced by a future Labour government.