Stagnation of organic products in Aragon

Despite the 70 hectares used to grow without pesticides, organic agriculture in Aragon cannot obtain favorable results. The problem is the low price of these products that has meant that farmers have to sell their products at home or through a partnership at the lowest price.

The Community of Aragon has 70,000 hectares of agriculture. An area that is small when compared with other regions like Andalusia (582,745) and if one takes into account the environmental benefits that entails. However, despite the recent concern of society for the care of Earth, organic agriculture remains a minority practice. To change this reality, farmers agree on the need for the Administration to increase its support with concrete action.

While it is necessary to take measures to help the industry as chairman of the Agriculture Committee and a member of Eco-OUAGA COAG, Antonio Ruiz, says, this year will be impossible to incorporate new professionals to plan support for organic agriculture for the Government of Aragon. "As there is no budget aid extended to farmers who choose to grow organically in the Community" , said Ruiz.

Today in Aragon there are about 800 organic farmers, compared to 7175 in Andalusia, for example. Consequently, some 30 or 40 farmers with a large number of hectares have decided to quit farming and cultivate the plant to qualify for other financial, but "This practice pollutes more," has said Ruiz. This is an inconsistency for many farmers who know and defend the benefits of organic farming and increasing fertility through of land, enhance consumer health and the environment.

The main problem causing this crisis in Aragon is difficulty in marketing these products, from the still weak domestic consumption ; It's compounded by delays in aid AE and no new calls for them.

As a result, today organic farmers sell their products through partnerships, which leads to lower their prices. However, prices in the supermarket are very high.

Despite the efforts undertaken by the farmer, is not outweighed by the consumption of Aragon and Spanish that are completed by buying cheaper products.

Nevertheless, today people can consume any kind of organic product, as there is a wide variety of "asparagus, vegetable oils, wheat, oats, feed, nuts, wines, which have won numerous awards in Europe and feed, " has said the chairman of Organic Agriculture.

Source: M. Salguero - Aragon Digital.es / Ecoalimenta.com