The Government will encourage the production and consumption of organic products
The Government intends to adopt today the development of an Action Plan for Food and Agriculture for the period 2007-2011, which aims to increase production and consumption of such foods.
As reported by the Ministry of Agriculture, Feeding and Rural Action (DAR), the action plan should influence especially in actions directed at improving the sector's presence in the department, promoting research and development in technology this type of food and improving the image of these products.
The decision by the Catalan administration involves the creation of an interdepartmental group, chaired by the DAR, for the purpose of, in a period of one year, boosting the development of this plan and coordinating its implementation.
Lleida concentrated organic production
Last year, Catalunya had 722 industries and 359 producers of organic products, which had entered an area of 55,355 hectares for these crops, which more than 70 percent are located in the demarcation of Lleida (39,548 hectares registered).
The regions of Ponent highlighted in the production of organic products. A total of 321 of the 722 producers that are concentrated in Catalonia Lleida. Which in turn has 63 processors, and there is only one importer of the 31 that exist in the community.
In total there are 359 operators in Lleida working in the field of organic agriculture.
The main certified organic products in Catalunya are olives, cereals, vines, nuts and vegetables.
In the case of demarcation of Lleida, 70.7 in the area set aside for organic production goes to the pasture and forage. Secondly, there are forests and wild collection (6,570 hectares), olive trees (1,893 ha) and fallow and green marinade (1,697 hectares).
Catalunya pioneered at the State level, in the introduction and development of organic production. This production has experienced over the past 15 years a remarkable growth and has increased tenfold and the area certified by five the number of businesses that make environmentally friendly products.
However, on the other hand, domestic consumption of these products has not followed the same growth.