Farmers invest €160,000 in greenhouses project

Two farmers in Mgarr have invested €160,000 on 10 green houses to grow out-of-season crops.

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi visited the project this morning and praised the farmers, Joe and Patrick Muscat, for their initiative.

Half of the funds for the projects were met through EU assistance.

Dr Gonzi and Resources and Rural Affairs Minister George Pullicino explained that in the 2007-2013 Budget, the EU had made a €100m agriculture fund available to Malta.

The government had launched 18 schemes under the fund to help farmers and 14 were already taken up.

Dr Gonzi noted that the green houses were built in an Outside Development Zone and said it was important that such applications were decided quickly and efficiently by Mepa, with a distinction being made on the basis of what was important for the country and what should not be built in ODZs.

Mr Pullicino said the number of full-time and part-time farmers had over the past four years increased from 3,200 to 4,000.

Dr Gonzi reiterated a government commitment made in the Budget to review the Pitkali vegetable market selling process, saying the middlemen should get what they deserved but the bulk of the price should go to the farmers.