Aid for island stockbreeders hit by drought

The Formentera Council, by way of the local office of agriculture, has established an assistance package of animal feed for local stockbreeders. Data from national meteorological agencies attest to a significant drop in precipitation on Formentera in recent years.

For this same reason, production of crops that can be converted into animal feed has also dropped. Santi Juan, Formentera's councillor agriculture, explained: “We've established this assistance as a way to offset the costs faced by the island's stockbreeding sector as a result of this year's reduced harvest.”

The assistance is distributed in the form of feed sacks; one per head of livestock. For every head of sheep or goat, a sack will be given that contains a mix of cereal, protein and compound feed. For every head of pig, the assistance package will consist in a sack of barley flour. Each feed sack is valued at 16.40€.

According to the most recent livestock census, there are 878 sheep, 201 goats and 94 pigs on the island, to wit, a total of 19,237€ in aid to be distributed (VAT included).

As of this week, ranchers on the island who belong to the Associació de Defensa Sanitària, a group promoting proper livestock hygiene, and have a current stockbreeders' card can collect vouchers for their free sacks of animal feed. Vouchers can be claimed at the Formentera Island Council Office of Agriculture in Sant Francesc from 9 am to 2 pm, Monday through Friday.

Councillor Juan stated: “This is an extraordinary opportunity and – given the dry season in 2014 – extremely necessary. This assistance is on top of the free medication provided during vaccination drives and the €32,000 in aid already received by local ranchers following the joint accord between the Council and the local stockbreeders' association.” Juan explained that these were just some of the different measures adopted by the Council to “preserve and promote Formentera's countryside, whose future depends precisely on the harvests we reap from it.”

For further information: Santi Juan, councillor of agriculture of the Formentera Council, 667680252.