Planas stresses the urgency of the measures of the Royal Decree-Law to achieve a positive impact and strengthen the agri-food sector


In his speech, Planas has had words of recognition to farmers, ranchers and fishermen who, in these "exceptional circumstances of sanitary crisis that we are experiencing, are making it easier for industry and distribution to supply fresh food for all of society.

The minister has also highlighted the work of cooperatives, industry and food distribution, as well as the efforts of logistics and supply companies, "without which the chain could not function."

The effort of all of them is allowing the proper functioning of the agri-food chain at the moment, allowing basic foods to arrive with normal practice, in sufficient quantity and quality. He stressed that his work "today is, more than an effort, a sign of dedication and solidarity."

In this context, rebalancing the food chain, achieving greater transparency in price formation and improving the negotiating position of farmers and ranchers is "more justified and necessary".

This state of alarm in which we find ourselves in Spain, according to the minister, is a political, economic and social parenthesis, from which lessons can be drawn and, "one of the clearest, is that we need our farmers and ranchers, also to our fishermen, who are always there, doing their job well. "

Main measures

In recent months, a series of factors have converged that have led the agro-livestock sector to a critical situation. To the structural problems of rigidity of the demand, atomization of the operators, the seasonality or the perishable character of the productions, conjunctural factors have been added such as adverse climatic phenomena (floods, droughts, storms …), the tariffs of the US Administration, the fall in the prices of productions and the rise in the costs of agricultural inputs (diesel, fertilizers or feed).

Faced with this situation, Planas highlighted the Government's determined action to provide solutions, through the royal decree-law, which includes measures that "cannot be delayed for another day.

He recalled that the Royal Decree-Law has measures of "positive and necessary impact" to promote the equitable distribution of added value and rebalancing of the food chain; improving the negotiating capacity of the weakest links; and strengthening the competitiveness of agricultural and food operators.

The minister has reviewed each of the articles contained in the Royal Decree-Law:

Thus, the article first modifies the Law 12/2013 on measures to improve the food chain. The main changes are summarized in the mandatory inclusion of the effective cost of production as a factor in determining prices in agricultural contracts and that the agreed price covers the effective cost of production; prohibit "sale at a loss"; regulate commercial promotions to avoid the banalization of agricultural products and food; and, publicize the sanctions imposed on non-complying companies.

This regulation, the minister has specified, will be completed "imminently" with a second amendment to the Chain Law, with a bill to transpose the Directive on unfair commercial practices, which will introduce new measures to improve its operation.

The second article includes a measure to face aging and enhance generational replacement, because "the field must be attractive to young people" and, above all, "profitable". Therefore, it is proposed to modify the Law 35/2006 on Personal Income Tax (IRPF) to incorporate a measure that facilitates the taxation of aid for the first installation of young farmers in four years so that they do not have to do it all at once in the first year.

Faced with the decline in agricultural activity as a result of a drop in production, the third article provides for reducing from 35 to 20 the number of peonies necessary to access unemployment benefits or agricultural income in Andalusia and Extremadura.

The fourth article is aimed at achieving greater stability in the employment of temporary agricultural personnel, registered in the Special Agrarian System of the General Social Security Regime, since the conversion of these contracts into indefinite or fixed-discontinuous contracts is encouraged through bonuses in the business fee.

The modification of the Law 23/2015 Organizing the Labor and Social Security Inspection System, provided for in article fifth, is intended to expand the scope of the Inspection beyond the workplace itself so that it can also be carried out in premises or homes where workers are housed.

All of these measures are aimed at improving the operation of the sector, allowing the survival of a living rural environment and "recognizing and dignifying the work of our farmers and ranchers".



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