Gozo farmers encouraged to go organic
Photo: George Scerri, DOI
Gozitan farmers and growers are being encouraged to switch to organic farming.
In a meeting at the Victoria council this morning, the Malta Standards Authority informed them of the benefits of such farming, in which pesticides were not used creating a more genuine product.
Both Information Parliamentary Secretary Chris Said and MSA chairman Francis E. Farrugia said organic farming would help towards the achievement of the eco-Gozo initiative as part of Vision 2015.
Currently there are 15 farmers in Malta certified to process organic produce. Together they work 22 hectares of land and grow 20 tonnes of organic products a year. This was an increase of 33 per cent in the past five years.
11 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
Graham Stenley
Jun 14th 2010, 07:52
The best agriculture land at Ghawdex for organic products is at Nadur Wied Hanaq Wied Ghajn Qasab and Wied Ramla , so MR SAID should know more then me because He live at that part of Nadur.
This unique source of life to the fields of the valley shall be contaminated beyond repair by the presence of decaying and putrified . The summit of water catchment area which feeds this stream of pure water which is one of the large and purest of the Malties Islands.
Ray Grech
Jun 14th 2010, 03:51
Parl Sec Said, before you talk about eco Gozo and organic farming first of all you should revoked that granted permit that you were involved in, that senseless cemetery down the road from where you live .
Ralph Hosgood
Jun 13th 2010, 09:27
What a disgusting situation at Nadur Gozo where the two Ministers are involved in it ,how could they do such a disaster to their Village and to the Nadur community of farmers.
Joe Portelli
Jun 13th 2010, 07:13
IF Minister Crist Said want to be Gozo Minister !!! the best and nicest thing he can do is to stop that destruction development down Ramla Road before it is to late.
The Nadur Church dosent need it as there is already existent graveyard at Nadur.
G. Cutajar
Jun 13th 2010, 06:03
Sintendi jekk ma jkunux fl-inhawi tax-Xlendi u jmurilhom id-dawl ghall gharrieda u allura ma jkunux jistghu jqabbdu l-pompa tal-ilma ghat-tisqija.
Mary Muscat
Jun 12th 2010, 22:12
For organic farming farmers need spring water and perched aquifer like there is at Minister Said hometown ;;;;;Spring steamers that meats EU drinking Water quality standards and is termed to be in pristine condition, , but this streams wont last long as soon dead corpse start accommodate the New Nadur Cemetery deterioration from this dead body's will contaminant the aquifer and then BY BY to organic farming
lesley kreupl
Jun 12th 2010, 19:38
A great pity that the government didn't realize the importance of organic farming in Gozo BEFORE kowtowing to the church and giving permission to build the Nadur Cemetery on top of an aquifer!
This means that as soon as the first body is interred in the cemetery, the Nadur area and the Ramla valley will no longer qualify as 'organic'. How short-sighted can one get?
Mr. Said, considering the good things you did as Mayor of Nadur, I would have though that at least you would have known better!
M.Muscat
Jun 12th 2010, 16:37
At our small Island Gozo , there are more then 15 farmers adopting organic farming at Nadur, but with that ugly monster Cemetery that has been contracted on top of the farmers aquifer , all the vegetables and trees are going to be toxin and carcinogenic with Formaldehyde ,
Persons involved in this mater of projected such a disaster on prestige water will never find pace in their life , before they stop this needless project that is going to make such shame to Nadur .
J. Borg
Jun 12th 2010, 14:21
Environmental NGOs have been calling for our islands to adopt Organic Farming throughout.
Being small islands it is impossible to reach the economies of scale to compete with standard produce from abroad.
Tapping on this niche healthy and in the long run profitable market would give a decent living to farmers and above all cease the pollution of our soil with fertilizers and chemicals.
However government has dragged its feet for years to encourage and give incentives to farmers. Moreover some decisions - especially the Nadur Cemetary scandal mentioned by Mr. Galea shows officially destructive action at its worst.
The sooner politicians can stop thinking about their short-term political games and finally start heeding advice to really promote our environment and long-term heath the better!
emanuel bajada
Jun 12th 2010, 13:23
This is one of the few , if not the only sensible suggestions I have heard for the last couple of years. More I suggest all agriculture of Gozo to be compulsorily organic, if need be by law.
c galea
Jun 12th 2010, 13:22
Promoting ECO Gozo and organic farming
and then the nadur cemetary which is going to destroy 100 tumoli of very fertile land and thousands of trees because it is being built directly on top of their underground water supply. Since the building one spring has already stopped.
These farmers had already started using the organic farming method. What are they going to do when the water supply is contaminated by the cemetary?
This cemetary should have never been given the go ahead in such a delicate area.And how long is the mepa appeal going to take, until the works are finished?