The Parliamentary Secretariat for Agriculture and Fisheries expressed surprise that Labour’s main spokesman on the sector, Noel Farrugia, had again shown himself to be unaware of what was happening in agriculture.

It was referring to a statement by Mr Farrugia who said that this year no turkeys bred in Malta would be available for consumption. In fact, the secretariat said, the importers of turkey chicks for breeding, as they had done last year, imported over 3,600 chicks in summer. A quantity of them had in fact been slaughtered that day (19 December). It meant that consumers would have fresh turkey for the festive season, if they desired it.

The government was spending millions in helping the sector, to implement the investments necessary to put it on a sound footing. The government had in fact honoured its promise to help agriculture.

The secretariat said the financial assistance distributed over the last five years amounted to: 2003 – Lm6.5m (e15,140,927); 2004 – Lm7.9m; (e18,402,050); 2005 – Lm9.3m (e21,663,173); 2006 – Lm8.9m (e20,731,423); 2007 – Lm9m (e20,964,361)

The second strategic plan for agriculture in Malta, between 2007-13, amounted to some e100,000,000.