The Rural Affairs and Environment Ministry announced a Lm107,325 (EUR250,000) financial aid scheme for tomato growers and the producers of tomato products yesterday.

The Special Marketing Aid Scheme for Processed Tomato Products (SMPPMA) will help Maltese and Gozitan farmers promote processed tomato products made out of locally-grown produce.

Minister George Pullicino and Parliamentary Secretary Frans Agius explained that individual farmers and farmers’ associations, as well as processors, will benefit from the scheme. The processors will be obliged to buy more tomatoes from farmers and farmers’ associations. In fact, they have to increase this year’s purchase by five per cent over the amount purchased last year. Producers must also use at least 50 per cent of the grant to promote products made entirely from local tomatoes, while the other portion must be used to cover sales and marketing expenses.

The producers’ associations will benefit from Lm42,930 (EUR100,000) out of the grand total.

Minister Pullicino said the scheme was aimed at improving the market for produce made out of local tomatoes and to help Maltese consumers to better appreciate the high quality of tomatoes grown locally. In addition, this would help certain producers increase the amount of such products that is exported.

Dr Agius added that farmers were always encouraged to join producers’ associations in order that the agricultural sector can be managed better and helped to move in the right direction.

He announced that six associations have already signed a contract for selling tomatoes for processing.