Consell acquires farming equipment for Farmers' Co-op

foto maquinaria coop 1The Consell de Formentera president and councillor of the primary sector, Alejandra Ferrer and Josep Marí, met today with the chairman and acting manager of the island's agricultural co-operative, Jaume Escandell and Carlos Marí, to unveil the new agrarian equipment on loan to the group from the local government. The presentation, at the industrial space of the Cooperativa del Camp (“Farmers' Co-operative”), began at 9.45am.

President Ferrer sat down with Mr Escandell  earlier, at 9.00am, to sign into effect an agreement giving the Co-op permission to use the machinery at no charge for the next four years. Included among the machinery are a tractor (valued at €53,361), tilling equipment (€23,818.85), a hay-bale stacker (€4,232.58) and a mobile refrigeration unit (€24,195.75).

According to President Ferrer, the €105,606 investment—which is in addition to the €115,000 that the Co-op already receives from the Consell de Formentera—makes plain “how seriously our local government takes the recovery of the countryside and the promotion of agriculture”. But she held up another priority as well: “Maintaining Formentera's traditional landscape”.

For his part, Councillor Marí tied the “substantial investment in equipment” to the growing needs of the thriving programme to steward unused rural land. The Fons de Terres de Cultiu, or “Farmland Reserve”, now counts 230 hectares among its supply of land. The councillor said the government was currently waiting on siloes which, together with the refrigeration system, would make it possible to keep grains in optimal conditions—chilled. The siloes are valued at roughly €90,000.

Chairman Escandell heralded the Consell's loan and said it would “enable us to keep working Formentera's rural land and seeing ever more expansive production”.

23 September 2019
Department of Communication
Consell de Formentera