More funds for tomato growers, processors

Over Lm107,325 (€250,000) will be granted to tomato growers and processors to promote freshly-processed products, the Minister of Rural Affairs said yesterday. Speaking during a press conference in Gozo, Minister George Pullicino said the scheme was...

Over Lm107,325 (€250,000) will be granted to tomato growers and processors to promote freshly-processed products, the Minister of Rural Affairs said yesterday.

Speaking during a press conference in Gozo, Minister George Pullicino said the scheme was divided into two sections.

Part of the funds would be given to producers' associations and individual farmers while the other part would go to processors under certain conditions including that they must buy more tomatoes from the producers' associations and individual farmers.

The associations will benefit from Lm42,930 (€100,000) that will provide an incentive for growers to increase the production of tomatoes for processing.

The funds to the tomato processors were aimed at launching a campaign promoting local produce such as tomato paste.

In order to qualify for this marketing aid, a processor must have increased the production of local tomatoes for processing by five per cent since last year.

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