As part of the Citizens’ Consultations series themed Għid Tiegħek Dwar l-Ewropa, Meusac organised a public consultation on the future of farming in Gozo at the Gozo Campus of the University of Malta, Mġarr Road, Xewkija. The meeting tackled various aspects and issues faced by Gozitan farmers.

The meeting was attended by a number of stakeholders representing different sections of the Gozitan agricultural sectors, including wine and dairy producers, full and part-time farmers and government representatives.

The discussion focused on various topics, including the marketing of local produce, the ability of local farmers to compete with their foreign counterparts in terms of products, the use of pesticides and fertilisers and bureaucratic processes when it comes to applying for EU funds which, at times, discourages farmers to do so. The farmers also complained about the lack of new young farmers and the rising costs associated with the production and transportation of products.

Magro Brothers chairman John Magro was very critical about the EU commission reforms in agriculture. He said that while it was EU policy to avoid ‘one law fits all’, in reality operators felt the opposite was happening. “How can Gozo’s tiny size of land parcels compete with the vast plains in Central Europe without any room for exceptions,” he said.

In his closing address Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights, Clint Camilleri, said the government in his efforts to help local farmers set up a national agricultural policy (agriculture.gov.mt). He also emphasised the need to make local products as attractive as imported ones, particularly through the means of grading and ways of defining the quality of various products.

Gozo Minister Justyne Caruana said the citizens’ consultations scheme was an effective exercise to help citizens voice their opinions on the future of farming and the EU.

Dr Caruana said Gozo would have its own rural directorate, which would seek to address the fragmentation in the agricultural sector and help empower this same sector as much as possible.

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