[ad_1]
Torkan attacked soils and arable land not only in Sweden, but also abroad. The situation is serious and becomes an awakening for all those who lean in the belief that food is always in the store. Yes, that's the case – if the farmer can deliver. The case of the peasantry is the business of all.
Drought is now turning against virtually all crops such as cereals, rapeseed, wheat, peas, beans and sugar beets. Vegetable crops and potatoes do not suffer as much as they are usually watered.
In the dirt road, the farmer fights to deliver bread, flour and cereals to you and me and feed the animals. The harvest of winter animal feed has been up to now very low. Therefore, derogations from the EU rules are provided so that additional fields can be harvested. Continuing the dry weather, the animals will have to be slaughtered.
Sweden is already heavily dependent on food imports. About half of the food we eat is imported and, because of the drought, the need to buy food from other countries increases year by year.
Farmers' organizations from the Baltic countries, Denmark, Finland and Sweden addressed the Commissioner for Agriculture, Phil Hogan, and requested assistance for the advance payment of EU refunds. and other actions related to the EU Special Crisis Funds. But more action is needed from different sources to ease the economic pressure for farmers. The LRF therefore calls on the Swedish support authorities to swiftly repay the remaining 500 million Swedish kroner for 2015-2017, by paying EU funding as early as possible in the autumn of 2018, which will increase significantly the repayment of the diesel tax for agriculture this fall, that the government triggers a request for support to the crisis from the EU and contains all the plans to increase taxes on the l & # 39; 39, agriculture and food production. For example, the mileage tax advertised on trucking. In addition, banks need to be transparent to discuss lending terms and new lending with competent entrepreneurs, and farmers in different countries and production areas need to help each other so that all food and straw can be used. to be used
. important that all actors take their responsibilities. From a national point of view, of course, the actions of the government are particularly important. In 2017, the Riksdag made a landmark decision on a national food strategy with the overall goal of boosting domestic production. That we are now hit by the worst drought in a quarter of a century is obviously nothing that a strategy can control. On the other hand, it is a good example of the brutality of food production that needs to be managed to achieve the goal of increased food production.
Peter Borring
LRF Regional President Östergötland
[ad_2]
Source link