The PCP wants to know if the Government is willing to advance with 50 thousand euros to support the Agricultural Cooperative of Irrigation of Pessegueiro, «creating conditions for the full use of the Pessegueiro Hydro-agricultural Development», structure to support agriculture in the municipality of Alcoutim.
The irrigation perimeter was completed in 2009, but local farmers have not been able to take full advantage of its capabilities, as they have no way of storing agricultural products. The cooperative created in the meantime needs 50 thousand euros to recover a warehouse and acquire cold rooms.
According to the Parliamentary Group of the PCP, this Hydro-agricultural Development comprises "a earth dam with a storage capacity of 300 cubic meters of water, irrigation pipelines measuring 2,5 kilometers and access paths to the dam." Features that would allow the irrigation of 25 hectares of agricultural land.
«However, the expectations regarding the construction of the Pessegueiro Agricultural Dam did not materialize. In a recent visit to the Pessegueiro dam and meeting with the direction of the Agricultural Cooperative for Irrigation of Pessegueiro, a PCP delegation found that only 3 hectares are being irrigated, that is, just over 10% of the area benefited by this perimeter of irrigation”, revealed the communists.
In 2012, the Cooperative even submitted an application to PRODER, which would receive a 55 percent share. However, due to the application of the Law of Commitments, the Municipality of Alcoutim was unable to finance the remaining 45 percent.
"We are, therefore, facing the absurd situation in which an agricultural enterprise that cost the State around 2 million euros is largely underused due to the unavailability of a budget of 50 thousand euros to continue the project", illustrated the PCP.
«The interest of the inhabitants of Pessegueiro in the exploitation of the hydro-agricultural enterprise is unquestionable, which makes it possible to improve the efficiency of the agriculture practiced by them, translating into a significant impact on family economies. In addition, as there has been a considerable population exodus in recent decades due to the lack of economic and social conditions, the full exploitation of the Pessegueiro Hydro-agricultural Development would allow the local population to settle and attract new inhabitants, reversing the current process of economic and demographic desertification. », also considered the communists.
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