A sector in crisis, production down 70% in fifteen years, and an increasingly uncertain future for Sardinian agricultural businesses. This is the backdrop to the motion presented yesterday in the Regional Council by Brothers of Italy councilor Emanuele Cera , calling on the Regional Council and the President of the Region to urgently intervene to revitalize the fruit and vegetable supply chain.
After submitting the document, Cera emphasized the strategic role of agriculture, and particularly fruit and vegetables, in the island's economy.
"This sector," he declared, "is not just a productive activity, but a pillar of sustainable development, employment, and regional identity."
The motion stems from alarm over a structural crisis that, according to data presented by the councilor, is bringing thousands of businesses to their knees.
In Sardinia, fruit and vegetable production has declined dramatically over the past fifteen years, while energy, raw material, and labor costs continue to rise. Added to this are water shortages, particularly in the north of the island, and competition from imports from other regions and abroad, which are crowding out local produce.
The document commits the Region to implement an extraordinary plan for the fruit and vegetable supply chain , with measures to support production, strengthen irrigation infrastructure, and simplify bureaucratic procedures for accessing water resources.
The objectives also include the activation of dedicated regional and European funds, the promotion of Sardinian products through quality labels and promotional campaigns, and the creation of a permanent fruit and vegetable observatory to monitor prices, profitability, and market flows.
The councilor also calls for the Region to intervene on the employment front, with hiring incentives, professional training, and a single management body for agricultural labor.
"The businesses, workers, and families who work in the fields every day," he emphasized, "deserve clear answers and concrete solutions. The Region has a duty to act urgently to safeguard an irreplaceable economic and social resource."
The motion, which the councilor described as "a strong signal," calls on the Regional Council to collaborate with all political forces and the agricultural world to develop a shared strategy to relaunch the sector : "It's a challenge that concerns the entire island," Cera concluded, "and it can no longer be postponed."
(Unioneonline/Fr.Me.)