Forest producers together make yield better support – TVI24

The Minister of Agriculture and Marine Affairs, Assunção Cristas, defended on Monday the aggregation of small forest producers. Together they can benefit from “significant support”.

“The more you aggregate the small forest producers and take advantage of the support that exist (…), certainly more value will be able to withdraw and, ultimately, [...] more likely to have to continue to invest in this same land” said Asuncion Ridges reporters in Porto end of the seminar “Paper from Portugal”, held at the Customs building.

It is “very important that the forest producers to join the Forest Intervention Areas (ZIF), which are condominiums in the area of ​​the forest, and can make a household work and with specific support,” said yet, cited by Lusa.

In his speech, the minister said that the Portuguese still treat its property in a “highly individualistic,” adding that the aggregate benefit in terms of support under the Development Program Rural (PDR 2020).

The support will cover such areas as “the forestry advisory”, “certification of forest stands” as well as “matters relating to the marketing of products,” he said.

The Minister of Agriculture and Marine stressed the forest area, which has about “400 thousand producers” and “is responsible for a significant part of the Portuguese economy, accounts for a significant share of exports of products in Portugal, around 10% of exports of goods are linked to the forest area “.

also highlighting the importance of the paper industry in the country, which has “companies in the ‘top 100′ of global companies, very competitive, very exporters, who have the best role of mute,” said Asuncion Ridges It is necessary for “the production track” their needs.

The minister also called for the need of producers papermakers create an internal campaign to allow “dispel the myth that we cut trees to make paper and thus desflorestamos”.

“It was clear we build forest, create forest, planted forest for the industry”

The official also said it believes need to be “internally explain” that Portugal needs to have a diverse forest.

“There is room for all the ranks,” he said, “we support with EU funds the native forest, but also pine and the cork”, and the row of eucalyptus “do not need the same support but also has your space and must have its space, including reconverting old settlements “.

To the minister, Portugal needs all ranks “develop harmoniously, generating revenue for forest producers, who are those who are at the base.”