Budget 2024, farmers ask the government to forgive obligations for entities and increase funds for oil

2023-11-04 13:50:19Biznes SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

Budget 2024, farmers ask the government to forgive obligations for entities and

In the 2024 draft budget, funds for the agricultural sector have been cut compared to this year, but farmers have a number of emergencies for which they require support. The Albanian Agribusiness Council has asked the Ministry of Agriculture to take measures to stop the depopulation of rural areas and to intervene to improve the conditions of farmers.

Specifically, KASH underlines that the financial means of farmers for the purchase of new agricultural tools are limited. The reserve lies in the increase in the coefficient of use of agricultural tools and existing processing lines of agro-livestock raw materials. Also in the support that should be given to mechanizers for reducing the service fee with these tools. "The coefficient of use of agricultural tools, especially those used in harvesting, is significantly below the limits for them to be considered efficient because their production technology is old. The use and average age of the majority of tractors and combines exceeds 25 years of operation and according to depreciation calculations, they should have been out of use", the Albanian Agribusiness Council underlines.

According to this institution, excessive parcelization of the land significantly increases the costs of mechanized works. While many tools that are estimated to be in working condition, do not have license plates and have unpaid debts, while the Agroservice Centers for the repair of agricultural tools from the 54 that used to be, have been reduced to 13.

For this reason, KASH points out that the high price of fuel and the programming of the limited subsidy for oil below the essential needs, constitute a necessary emergency intervention in this field. "The solution to the problem requires taking without wasting any more time an initiative to forgive the obligations of entities operating in rural areas for agricultural machinery, agro-processing lines, heated greenhouses, which are financed by grants, as well as other obligations of without opportunities to collect from the responsible institutions. Increasing the funds that are programmed for oil reimbursement. Reduction or reimbursement of the price of electricity, which is used for refrigerators for the storage of agricultural and livestock raw materials."


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