The entire island of Mallorca will end up being a large city. I first heard it about thirty years ago, and I couldn't say from whom. A spokesperson for GOB? A professor from the Department of Earth Sciences at the University? A militant from the PSM? It doesn't matter now.

The Minister of Agriculture, Joan Simonet, has been summoned to Parliament to answer questions about the closure of Agama, the Balearic Islands' main dairy company. In a debate marked by opposition criticism of the Ministry's management, Simonet lashed out at the Damm Group for causing the closure with its "erratic pricing policy." "I'm left wondering what this group's word is worth and what their real commitment to these islands is," he lamented. "What cannot be allowed is to play games with the sector, with the farmers, and with the workers," he asserted.

The Balearic agricultural sector has conveyed its concern to the Government regarding the rise in fuel prices due to the Iran-Contra conflict. According to an internal calculation, product prices will increase in approximately one month if they do not receive aid, representatives of the farmers informed the Vice President of the Government, Antoni Costa, this Wednesday. This was explained by Jerónima Bonafé, representative of the Balearic Agri-food Cooperatives, after the meeting, as reported by Europa Press. Bonafé emphasized that fuel prices have increased by more than 60% in less than a month, and also explained that the Government has committed to providing aid to the sector to mitigate the price increases. However, the Government wants to wait to coordinate these measures with the initiatives that the Spanish Executive will announce on Friday after the Council of Ministers meeting.

The Balearic Islands' food and industrial history is facing a turning point. Following the demise of Agama, the Catalan group Vall Companys has acquired Comercial Vera, a leading name in Mallorcan gourmet food. Founded in 1994 by Manuel Vera, the company has been sold to this meat distribution giant, which boasts an annual turnover exceeding €4.1 billion. Specializing in both domestic and imported meat, the company has been a key supplier for hotels, restaurants, and local businesses, offering a catalog of over 4,000 products and daily delivery services throughout the island. In 2009, Comercial Vera opened a 3,500-square-meter facility equipped with advanced technology for animal waste disposal, processing, and packaging, as well as a 450-square-meter retail space for direct sales. The Vera family will continue their involvement in the food sector by managing a butcher shop in the Olivar market and a restaurant, formerly known as Asador Patxi, in Palma.

The Government does not require livestock farming to qualify for the subsidy for building animal enclosures, as stated in the Official Gazette of the Balearic Islands of December 9, 2025, which specifies the requirements for accessing this program. For this reason, a farmer who prefers to remain anonymous has told ARA Baleares that "you can apply for subsidies for building enclosures without owning animals." Along these lines, the farmer believes that the Executive's policies should be "more in touch" with the realities of the sector. "We need to use the land, and therefore, we need to improve the enclosures, which involve very costly investments," he insists. He also points out that the Strategic Plan for the Maintenance of the Livestock Sector, approved in December 2023, makes it clear that "enclosures are very important." But, "then you see that being a livestock farmer doesn't appear in the requirements, nor does it add any points," he laments. Sources at the Ministry of Agriculture argue that the requirement of being a livestock farmer "has not been included in this line of subsidies for a long time," although they point out that this modification was not initiated by the Prohens administration. Furthermore, they indicate that the requirement could have been eliminated because it would allow people who are not livestock farmers to fence their properties to prevent, for example, the entry of wild goats or neighbors' livestock. While the subsidy requirements for traditional fences—which consist of livestock mesh supported by wooden posts—do not mention the obligation to be a livestock farmer, it is required for the other eligible categories, which include terraces and dry stone walls. The aid document describes traditional fences intended for the delimitation or protection of agricultural or livestock areas as eligible for subsidies, provided that the maximum distance between posts does not exceed four meters.

The primary sector in the Balearic Islands is struggling with problems that have worsened over the years. Drought, health alerts, the permissiveness of the authorities in allowing inappropriate uses of rural land, and a lack of generational leadership are some of them. The few remaining workers in the primary sector are looking for ways to survive, while the debate about the importance of agriculture, fishing, and livestock farming for preserving the territory and the environmental sustainability of the Balearic Islands is increasingly prominent.

A total of 56 organic farms in Mallorca have planted 2,424 fruit trees during the first two years of the 'Mallorca en Fruit' project. This initiative, promoted by Apaema and funded by the Mallorca Preservation Foundation, allows farmers to establish new plantations with minimal financial investment, while simultaneously strengthening the resilience of organic agriculture by prioritizing projects that use local varieties adapted to climate change. The main objective of the project "is to stimulate and promote fruit tree projects rather than simply focusing on the number of trees planted," explain sources at Apaema. The financial contributions are intended as a catalyst for launching productive activities that can ultimately expand. All of this is aimed at "recovering and ensuring a future for the production and marketing of local fruit, which is clearly in decline."

Vineyards and almond trees, two emblematic crops of the Balearic Islands, could see their future jeopardized in the medium term if temperatures continue to rise. This warning came yesterday from biologist and professor at the University of the Balearic Islands, Jaume Vadell, during his address to the Parliament's Commission on Climate Change in Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries. According to Vadell, both species "suffer" from high temperatures and depend on a specific number of chill hours to complete their productive cycle. "The reduction of these hours is key for woody crops. Although heat may initially stimulate growth, yields decrease when a certain threshold is exceeded," he cautioned. For this reason, he proposed rethinking the agricultural zoning for these crops. The scientist also pointed out that other horticultural crops, such as tomatoes, melons, and watermelons, could be jeopardized if the current trend of rising temperatures persists. In contrast, crops like corn or alfalfa tolerate the heat better, although "above 36 or 37 degrees Celsius, growth is also limited." Regarding olive groves and carob trees, Vadell emphasized that they are "more resilient" species with a superior capacity for adaptation.

Onofre Ballester, owner of Avícola Ballester, explained to ARA Baleares that he has requested a meeting with the Minister of Agriculture, Joan Simonet, four times, but laments that he has received "no response." In recent years, the Balearic Government has sanctioned and opened investigations against the company for its operating farms. However, the owner has submitted various appeals and even requested the correction of official reports filed by the Executive. Adding to the tense relationship between the Executive and the company is the fact that the Government rejected Ballester's proposed mega-farm in Sineu and prohibited such facilities with more than 160,000 hens. Until January 17th of this year, there were no regulations limiting the number of birds on farms in the Balearic Islands, and Simonet drafted them. In any case, Ballester's project did not go ahead because the Government shelved its environmental authorization process, according to a report of urban planning incompatibility issued by the Sineu City Council.

Under pressure from the opposition, the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Natural Environment, Joan Simonet, defended his handling of the situation at the Llucmajor chicken farm and criticized the Armengol government for "failing to act." Simonet explained that between 2016 and 2021, the farm housed 127,000 hens. "Didn't anyone see them?" he asked. He recalled that the farm's operations began in 2016 with 40,000 hens, but added that in 2023, a sanctioning procedure was initiated due to the increased capacity of the operation. Avícola Son Perot, the company behind the Llucmajor poultry farm, requested the legalization of the facilities and authorization for a capacity of 135,696 hens after receiving a sanction imposed by the government's environmental agency. In August, the integrated environmental permit for the farm was rejected, and it was decided that its capacity had to be reduced to a third (40,000 hens). Regarding this, Simonet explained that a total of 36,000 animals have already been removed from the farm and that the remaining 52,000 are scheduled to be removed by the end of this month. "The work done by the officials and the Directorate General is adequate, it is correct, no mistakes have been made," he insisted.

In the coming days, the Balearic Government will extend protective measures against avian flu to all municipalities in the islands, but will not confine the birds. Currently, control measures only affect municipalities considered high-risk areas, such as Santa Margalida, Muro, Sa Pobla, Pollença, and Alcúdia, and those considered areas of special surveillance, such as Felanitx, Campos, Formentera, Ibiza, San José de Sa Atalaya, Santa Eulalia del Río, Maó, and Es Mercadal. This Thursday, the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA) ordered the confinement of all poultry in the country, but the ministerial order states that the autonomous communities can adjust the measures to adapt them to the specific circumstances of their farms. The Directorate General of Agriculture has decided to maintain the previously announced protective measures that will allow, as established by state regulations, "the keeping of poultry outdoors, by placing, if possible, bird netting or any other device that prevents the entry of wild birds, and in facilities or shelters that prevent the arrival of wild birds and avoid their contact with the food or water intended for the poultry." Although avian flu has not yet reached the Balearic Islands, the Director General of Agriculture, Livestock and Rural Development, Fernando Fernández, has warned that "the danger is real" and added that there is "very strong" concern about this disease reaching the Islands. Therefore, he reiterated that the measures adopted by the Government "can be maintained as long as there is responsible behavior on the part of farm owners." Similarly, he warned that if the Directorate General becomes aware of widespread non-compliance with the precautions, "more drastic measures will be adopted, including, if necessary, lockdowns." Regarding small-scale poultry farms, Fernández indicated that they are obligated to keep their waterers and feeders in protected locations and that these farms are best suited to establish enclosed feeding stations. However, the Director General pointed out that 70 percent of poultry farms in the Balearic Islands are for personal consumption, making it "practically impossible to enforce this measure with this level of dispersion." Therefore, he expressed his confidence that owners will comply with the measures, protect their hens, and "look out for their own well-being and that of their neighbors." Furthermore, the Directorate General, together with its technical services, has determined that the next resolution will include more intensive inspections of commercial farms to ensure that biosecurity measures are being implemented.

Unlike the island councils of Menorca, Ibiza, and Formentera, Mallorca's council still lacks jurisdiction over agriculture, livestock, and fishing, as well as land transport. MÁS per Mallorca has submitted a motion to the plenary session of the Consell de Mallorca (Island Council of Mallorca) demanding that the Balearic Islands Government immediately begin the process of transferring powers related to agriculture, livestock, fishing, and rural development. The eco-sovereignist party denounces that the Popular Party government has failed to comply with the 2019 Agrarian Law—which established a five-year deadline for the transfer—and has also removed this obligation from the new draft 2025 Agrarian Law. Furthermore, the government is violating the 2022 Law on Island Councils, which stipulates that the Executive Branch must complete the transfer of the functions outlined in the Statute of Autonomy.

The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Natural Environment, Joan Simonet, acknowledged this Wednesday that, as the ARA Baleares announced this weekend, with the approval of the new agrarian law Tourist places will be increased from 6 to 10 on farms with preferential or priority status—those professionally engaged in agriculture.

Biel Barceló has a farm with almost 300 pigs and 100 sows on the road from Vilafranca to Porreres. He sows the grain he feeds the animals himself and, to do so, spreads the manure they produce because, he says, "it reactivates the soil and is much better than fertilizer." Although he tries to spread and cover it as quickly as possible "to avoid problems" with the neighbors (he spends about an hour between one thing and another), he is aware of the smell they create. "No matter how good the escampis is, all shit smells," he admits while standing next to a pile of manure he is about to spread.

Unió de Pagesos has reminded the regional minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Environment that "rural land must be dedicated to food production and anything other than this will be considered improper use." The agricultural union reacted after Simonet assured a interview of the ARA Baleares who does not believe "in the systematic prohibition of solar panels and chalets."

He knows firsthand the harshness of the primary sector in the Balearic Islands. Before becoming the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Environment, Joan Simonet (Alaró, 1973) was on the other side of the table as manager of the employers' association Asaja. He sets the guidelines for a minority sector that is increasingly facing diminishing opportunities and problems.

At seven in the morning, in a vineyard in Felanitx, the frozen water jugs on a dry wall are already dripping. They're covered with workers' T-shirts to keep out the little bit of sun that's just beginning to rise. From between the rows of vineyards, cheerful but soft music can be heard, as well as some conversation. However, the predominant sounds are the shears used for pruning and the scraping of plastic crates on the ground. The day before pruning, they are left on the farm, placed between the subtle, linear furrows in each row of vines to save themselves some work the next day.

Carob production in the Balearic Islands will be severely reduced this season. According to data from the Garrova Carob Cutters Association (PIMEM), only 50% of the available fruit will be harvested, when in a normal year up to 70% of the 20,000 to 25,000 kilos produced annually are harvested.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Environment wants to purchase a farm in Mallorca to conduct agricultural research and experimentation, with a maximum budget of six million euros. Farmers complain that this money is not being allocated to the agricultural sector, which, they say, "is suffering from a very large budget deficit."

The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Natural Environment, Joan Simonet, assured this Wednesday, during the presentation of the balance of the aid from the Common Agricultural Policy (PAC) by 2024, that the primary sector in the Balearic Islands is "more aware of climate change." European Union. In fact, in the Balearic Islands there has been an increase in applications for the 2025 CAP compared to last year. The increase in aid for 2024.