Growers complain of buyers' grade-mixing practice

Growers complained yesterday they were not getting enough money for the products they sell at the pitkalija, the central vegetable marketing centre.

Grower Raymond Grima said: "While a substantial number of growers grade their products, what happens at the pitkalija is that buyers mix produce of different grades with the result that consumers end up paying a high price for an inferior product.

"The system requires a drastic change so that agricultural produce will be graded and bear the name of the producer so that consumers would be able to make an informed choice."

Mr Grima, together with a group of growers, accompanied Agriculture Minister Ninu Zammit as he visited a number of greenhouses owned by Carmel Sammut in Zebbiegh, limits of Mgarr.

Mr Zammit presented Farmers Central Cooperative president Klement Azzopardi with a cheque for Lm27,664. The money forms part of the eight per cent commission that growers pay to the middlemen at the vegetable marketing centre.

The cooperative will be using the funds to cover administrative expenses and to assist members. The cooperative represents about 800 growers - which amounts to around a quarter of the full-time and part-time growers.

The minister said this type of subsidy would in future be used by the cooperative to assist growers to market their products in a more attractive manner.

"It is extremely important for growers to set up a grading station and install cold storage facilities because it is only by regulating supply to match demand that the growers would be able to maintain a stable price for their produce," Mr Zammit said.

While 6.25 per cent of the commission is paid by the growers, the remaining 1.75 per cent is subsidised by the government.

The minister explained that this subsidy had been in operation since 1996/7 but had been stopped for some unknown reason.

The cheque he presented to Mr Azzopardi represents the subsidy for 2001.

Mr Zammit said that since the removal of the levies on agricultural produce seven months ago, the government had passed on over Lm1.3 million to growers, herdsmen and other producers in the sector.

He said the EU would assist growers to repair rubble walls, and excavate a water reservoir to save rain water. If people kept pumping out water from bore holes without any control the chances were that water from this source would have to be purified before it was used for irrigation.

Mr Azzopardi said the EU preferred producers' organisations, rather than individuals, to present projects when they asked for assistance.

Mr Sammut said the EU presented a challenge to growers. Growers would be better off if Malta joined the EU because they would produce quality vegetables that could compete with foreign produce.

Mr Grima argued that imported vegetables would include the cost of transport to get them to Malta.

"Maltese consumers know from experience that vegetables and fruit grown here have a much better palate than imports.

"With the type of partnership that is being suggested by the Labour Party, levies would have to go anyway. Therefore it is much better to be part of the EU which would assist growers where needed," Mr Grima said.

Mr Grima's brother, Pawlu, said that if Malta stayed out of the EU producers from North African countries would be able to export their produce to Malta so local growers would have to compete with others anyway.