The Socialist parliamentarian recalled that recent complaints have emerged about worsening difficulties for both Azorean farmers and fishermen, amid falling prices paid to producers.

“In recent weeks, very worrying signs have emerged. In agriculture, we have drops in the price of milk paid to producers on several islands, difficulties also in the meat sector and a worsening of production costs,” justified Berto Messias, parliamentary leader, adding that “it is essential that parliament discusses these problems and the responses that are needed” for the sector.

The Socialist parliamentarian, quoted in a party statement, recalled that recent complaints have emerged about the worsening difficulties, both for Azorean farmers and fishermen, in a context marked by the fall in prices paid to producers, the increase in production costs and the growing concern about the income and sustainability of activities in the primary sector.

Several dairy factories in the region have recently announced reductions in the price of milk paid to producers, with the Azores Agricultural Federation estimating that, in São Miguel alone (the largest island in the archipelago), these drops could represent a loss of around 15 million euros in revenue for producers by the end of the year.

"Added to this situation is the increase in fuel prices, with a strong impact on the costs of agricultural and fishing activities, precisely at a time when both sectors are facing additional difficulties," said the parliamentary leader of the Socialist Party.

The Azores Fisheries Federation has also warned of idle vessels and shipowners forced to buy fuel on credit while they await the implementation of the three million euro support announced by the Regional Government to cover fuel costs.

“We are facing a particularly difficult combination. Those who produce in the Azores face increasingly high costs while also seeing their incomes under pressure. This situation reduces margins, creates uncertainty and compromises the capacity for investment and the sustainability of activities,” warned Berto Messias.

The leader of the PS group in the Azorean parliament said he was concerned about the warnings issued by representative organizations of the primary sectors, which fear the consequences of this situation, especially the risk of abandoning activities, reduced investment and difficulties in generational renewal.

“Agriculture and fishing are strategic sectors for the Azores, for our economy, for employment and for the cohesion of our islands. We cannot normalise a situation in which producing in the Azores becomes increasingly difficult and expensive, without there being responses capable of guaranteeing conditions of sustainability for those who work in these sectors,” added the Socialist deputy.

Berto Messias thus considered that the urgent debate will allow the Regional Coalition Government to confront the situation that the agriculture and fisheries sectors are going through and to learn about the measures that the executive intends to adopt to respond to the difficulties affecting the primary sector, in order to guarantee conditions of sustainability, competitiveness and predictability.

“We want the Regional Government to clearly state what answers it has for the problems that farmers and fishermen are facing today. This is not the time to watch these sectors deteriorate. It is time to discuss solutions and act,” reads the same statement from the PS.