The Government sets December 31 as the deadline to find a solution for Agama

The Government has set December 31 as the deadline to find a solution for the General Agrarian Association of Mallorca (AgamaAccording to sources within the Balearic Islands government speaking to ARA Baleares, "This is the deadline; otherwise, we won't have any room to maneuver or reverse the situation." Sources in the primary sector added that Agama will buy milk from one of the three producers who currently supply it until October 31, 2026, but emphasized that, starting March 31, this milk will no longer be processed in Mallorca because Damm's lease agreement with Comercial Bordoy for the facilities will expire. The situation at Agama is causing concern among farmers and agricultural associations. Joan Gaià, coordinator of Unió de Pagesos, warned in the Balearic Parliament that the closure of Agama would be "an attack on the food sovereignty" of the Balearic Islands. He also listed other issues that worry farmers, such as the lack of social consideration and the effects of climate change. "What country in the world can afford to do without the dairy industry? It's very important and continues to be a loss leader in supermarkets, which is what has brought the state and Mallorcan sectors to where they are today," he stressed. Gaià lamented that there hasn't been enough self-criticism and that no one has been "brave enough" to raise their voices against the closure of Agama. "The interests of a business group cannot take precedence over those of a people. Closing Agama is an attack on the food sovereignty of the people of the Balearic Islands," he insisted.

Effects of climate change

The coordinator of Unió de Pagesos, rather than offering data to the members of parliament, outlined the daily challenges faced by farmers to argue that "the primary sector is a key ally in the fight against climate change." He also criticized the "lack of awareness of its importance" and emphasized that it "manages 80 percent of the archipelago's territory," despite employing relatively few workers. The agricultural sector is "crucial," not only for its role in food production but also "for its role in caring for the land." "We cannot afford to have abandoned land," he asserted. He also warned of the economic losses suffered by the primary sector due to climate change, citing the example of a vineyard that, due to a reduced harvest, has seen a 90% drop in revenue this year. "Can you imagine what would happen if hoteliers saw their income reduced by 90%? Everyone would want to do something: the Consulate, Parliament, the Island Council... Those of us who suffer the effects of climate change lose income because we are businesses, while those who receive attention are the ones who extend the seasons because climate change allows them to."

The general secretary of this union, Sebastià Ordines, has argued that, both in terms of climate action and to preserve the Balearic primary sector, it would be necessary to increase the percentage of local product consumption in tourist establishments—3% is legally mandated—and in public administrations. "Public procurement is far from local. The administration should champion local products, as we demand of the tourism sector. The best way to help farmers is to buy our products. We don't want subsidies; we want them to buy," he emphasized.

The new agricultural law

On the other hand, Ordines considered that the preliminary draft of the agrarian lawThe regulation, against which they have already filed objections, "is not very agricultural." In their opinion, this legislation "should be to defend farmers and what they produce, but it allows for a 25% expansion of buildings for agricultural estates and continued construction on rural land. We don't believe that continuing to deplete Mallorca at this rate will help mitigate the effects of climate change," they argued.

One of UP's demands is to "rescue" the High Agricultural Value Zone (ZAVA) designation and encompass "all of Mallorca." "If we want to commit to food sovereignty and local produce, we have no choice but to have uncultivated land," said Ordines, who also warned about water scarcity and demanded a ban on the construction of wells for domestic use.

Aid and generational shift

Gaià lamented Vox's "obsession" with the 2030 Agenda, which, although he admitted it could lead to a loss of productivity "in Germany or Soria, in the Balearic Islands has benefited farmers" due to subsidies from the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), which have allowed "those who have done so" to profit.

The UP coordinator denied that "farmers live off subsidies." He emphasized that "more than 20% of professional farmers in the Balearic Islands They are outside the aid systemOrdines added that 50% of the archipelago's primary sector receives CAP subsidies of less than 5,000 euros. "It's clear that if farms aren't making money, there won't be generational renewal. It's not attractive for any young person, and it happens a lot, to work all year round only to lose money," he said.

Criticisms of Vox

Gaià believes the Catalan Parliament's Climate Change Commission "was born on the wrong foot" because "they made a man president who didn't believe in it," referring to Vox's deputy spokesperson, Sergio Rodríguez. "He came today, he left... This is very strange for us, and we feel bad about it. If people knew what they're paid to do these papers..." he complained. On September 23, Santiago Abascal's party formalized its withdrawal from the commission because, in their view, the body has become "a forum at the service of the globalist climate ideology promoted by the 2030 Agenda." Rodríguez expressed the far right's rejection of these structures, which, he argued, "do not respond to the needs of citizens, but rather to the ideological dictates of a criminal agenda that is celebrating its tenth anniversary."

For her part, PSIB deputy Malena Riudavets applauded Gaià's words and expressed her hope that "the PP will not again make president a party that does not believe in climate change nor support the measures that the primary sector needs."