Stqarrija mid-Dipartiment ta' l-Agrikoltura dwar il-patata taz-zriegh / Statement by the Department of Agriculture regarding imported seed potatoes

Dan l-aħħar dehru kummenti fl-istampa lokali dwar rapport ippubblikat fil-ħar'a t'Awissu ta' "Newstring", rivista uffiċjali tal-GRTU. F'dan ir-rapport saru diversi allegazzjonijiet infondati u fuq kollox 'ew ikkwotati ċifri fittizji li ovvjament ma setgħux ma jwasslux għall-konkluzjonijiet żbaljati. Ir-raguni li pprefera jsemmi figuri ferm 'il bogħod minn dawk uffiċjali u mingħajr ma ndenja jindaga l-verit'? jafha biss dak li kiteb dan l-artiklu.

Id-Direttur ta' l-Agrikoltura jrid mhux biss jiċħad dawn l-insinwazzjonijiet, iżda fuq kollox irid jagħti stampa ċara dwar is-sistema użata għall-importazzjoni tal-patata taż-żrigħ, prodott li hu kkunsidrat mill-bdiewa bħala materja prima importanti ħafna għax-xogħol prinċipali tagħhom li jipprovdilhom il-ħobża ta' kuljum.

Wieħed ma jistax ma jistaqsix minn fejn 'ew ikkwotati dawk l-figuri li fuqhom kien ibbażat l-argument. Infatti s-sena li għaddiet 'ew impurtati b'kollox 2613 tunellata patata taż-żrigħ u mhux 5000 tunellata kif għo'obha tikkwota l-GRTU. Din is-sena dawn l-2613 tunellata pproduċew madwar 25,000 tunellata li minnhom 'ew insiefra 7079 tunellata, u mhux 4000 tunellata, bejn April/Mejju u il-bqija għamlu tajjeb biex issodisfaw id-domanda tas-suq lokali tant, li s'issa din s-sena 'ew impurtati biss 300 tunellata patata ta' l-ikel li fuqha tħallset il-levy.

Naturalment id-Dipartiment ta' l-Agrikoltura għadu jirregola l-importazzjoni tal-patata taż-żrigħ billi joħro' talba għall-offerti għall-provvisti ta' l-Alpha u Arran Banner skond il-bżonnijiet ta' dawk li jkabbruha. Barra minn dawn iż-żew' varjetajiet tradizzjonali li llum huma kkunsidrati xjuħ, id-Dipartiment jawtorizza importazzjoni limitata ta' varjetajiet 'odda b'mod partikolari dawk bikrija ħafna kif mitluba mill-bdiewa.

Kemm fl-aħjar interess tal-bdiewa, kif ukoll biex ikun evitat li l-patata taż-żrigħ tispiċċa tmur għall-ikel mingħajr ma titħallas levy fuqha, id-Direttur jawtorizza importazzjoni limitata ta' varjetajiet 'odda mitluba mill-bdiewa, biex il-bdiewa jkabbruha għas-suq lokali jew bi prova. B'dan il-għan id-Dipartiment jagħmel kundizzjonijiet stretti lill-impurtaturi li jirregolaw kwantit'?, qies, żmien li tkun Malta, eċċ. flimkien ma' Garanzija Bankarja a favur id-Direttur.

Permezz ta' dan it-tagħrif wieħed għandu jifhem aħjar il-proċess ta' l-importazzjoni tal-patata taż-żrigħ, kif ukoll il-verit'? kollha dwar il-kwantit'? li 'iet impurtata s-sena li għaddiet, flimkien mal-produzzjoni tagħha, inkluz kemm attwalment 'iet imsiefra din is-sena. Żgur li dan it-tagħrif mhux biss jgħin sabiex wieħed japprezza iktar ix-xogħol fejjiedi li jagħmlu l-bdiewa, iżda juri kemm kienu bla bażi u in'usti l-insinwazzjonijiet li għamlet il-GRTU u fuq kollox jikxef minn qiegħed jipprova jgħaddi biż-żmien lill-konsumatur!

Statement by the Department of Agriculture regarding imported seed potatoes

With reference to Press reports featuring allegations made recently in the official organ of the GRTU, ‘Newstring', the Director of Agriculture wishes not only to repudiate these allegations, but moreover furnish a clear and true picture concerning seed potatoes, which quite rightly are considered by the farmers as their prime raw material for their main cash crop.

This Department has to confute the strange statistical figures quoted in this report, which strange but true, were preferred to the official ones published by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. Obviously erratic calculations would only lead to misleading arguments and eventually to false conclusions. In actual fact it is to be pointed out that last year a quantity of 2613 tonnes of seed potatoes, and not 5000 tonnes, were imported and their production not only enabled local growers to export 7079 tonnes spring potatoes, and not 4000 tonnes as quoted by the GRTU, but also enough to satisfy local demand.

It is to be noted that the Department of Agriculture regulates procurements of seed potatoes, and on the basis of individual requirements of local growers, calls for international tenders for the supply of "Alpha" and "Arran Banner". Apart from these two traditional varieties which are generally intended for export and local consumption respectively, producers are allowed to obtain through local agents limited quantities of other varieties, particularly very early, ones which are generally intended for the local market and/or trial purposes.

Both in the interest of farmers and also considering levy is paid on imported table potatoes, the Director of Agriculture takes appropriate measures to avoid seed potatoes from ending as table potatoes, especially when demand tends to rise. It is believed that on the other hand one must not to make it difficult for farmers to find alternative varieties to traditional ageing ones. For this purpose, local agents may be authorised to import limited quantities of other varieties, subject to strict conditions which regulate amongst others quantity, size, time of delivery, etc. apart from establishment of Bank Guarantees.

This enables one to appreciate that as a result of the hard work performed this year by local farmers, local potato production has not only resulted in an export of 7079 tonnes, but an estimate of another 15,000 tonnes which remained in Malta and appears to have satisfied the local demand since only 300 tonnes of ware potatoes were imported to date.

One believes that this explains amply the real situation concerning imports of seed potatoes and also shows that insinuations inferred were unjust and moreover uncovers who is trying to take consumers for a ride!