Over 6,000 farmers this week will benefit from almost Lm2 million in aid from government and EU funds, Parliamentary Secretary Francis Agius said yesterday.

Speaking during a visit to a farm run by Giuliano Borg in San Gwann, Dr Agius outlined the financial aid being distributed to farmers this week. The EU financed 80 per cent of three schemes – aid for Less Favoured Areas, Lm905,201, aid for the building of rubble walls, Lm151,675 and the ad hoc aid for full time farmers – while the government made up for the remaining 20 per cent.

The government, said Dr Agius, is financing the additional aid on grapes, Lm134,077, aid for potato planting, Lm59,493, and aid on planting new vines, Lm14,443.

The government is also paying Lm582,528 in accordance with the Special Marketing Programme for Maltese Agriculture, a subsidy on fruit and vegetables which is sold through the Government Vegetable Market.

Dr Agius explained that the EU would finance 75 per cent of the e100 million allotted to the Maltese agricultural sector for the years 2007 – 2013.

The parliamentary secretary stressed that payments are made only after mandatory inspections and auditing are carried out. He also referred to the constant updating of a database of agrarian land and its owners.

The agricultural sector is gaining from Malta’s membership of the EU both on a pecuniary and policy level, given the EU’s own strong agricultural policy, Dr Agius said. He added he was pleased that two producer organisations have extended their work in order to meet the local demand of fresh Maltese produce.

Earlier, Dr Agius visited Mr Borg’s farm, which is based on intensive use of greenhouses.

Mr Borg grows more than one produce in a single greenhouse, thus maximising production.

He pointed out that he does not use pesticides and keeps bees in greenhouses for pollination.