A citrus re-conversion plan gets underway in Valencia province

The Valencia Regional Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is implementing a plan to change citrus varieties, a measure which is attempting to bring about a reorganisation and diversification of supply to stabilise the markets and, at the same time, make improvements in overall quality.

The programme involves subsidising up to 60% of a farmer’s costs in uprooting and then replanting citrus crops.

The plan, which according to a statement issued by the Regional Ministry itself, is “to improve profitability for farmers by moving production from December and January to the end of the season in order to cover the shortfalls in supply to markets at the end of the season.”

 

To be able to benefit from this plan an orchard has to meet certain requirements, such as being between 0.3 and 18 hectares in size, as well as having a specific density of trees depending on the crop.

The subventions granted to farmers will be a minimum of 30% of the subsidisable investment, equal parts being provided by the Ministry for the Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs and the Regional Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. This subsidy can be increased by 10% if the farmer is a professional farmer, 10% if she/he is a young farmer, 5% if the beneficiary comes from a disadvantaged area and 5% if she/he is a member of an Organisation of Fruit and Vegetable Growers (OPFH). The subvention can be given for up to 18 hectares between 2008 and 2013.
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