| 82% of the country's fruit-growing surface will be left without access to the instrument that promotes efficient irrigation on farms, which is equivalent to 4,000 companies in the sector. "President Boric spoke of pro-growth plans in the public account, but the modifications to this law are anti-growth, anti-investment, anti-efficiency, anti-promotion, even anti-rurality and care for the environment itself, because it will leave thousands of producers without the tools to face this severe shortage problem." |
| The Federation of Fruit Producers of Chile (Fedefruta), a trade association that brings together more than 25 regional associations linked to fruit growing and the rural world, appreciated that President Boric dedicated a space in his public account to rural development, food and water security. However, the helmsman Jorge Valenzuela expressed his strong rejection of the modifications to the Irrigation Law mentioned in the speech, whose extension approved in the Senate brings modifications that "they do not encourage investment in water efficiency," as the leader points out. “This will stop fruit development in Chile.” "We highlight the announcements on rural connectivity, access to health and education, essential and postponed subjects for the development of rural areas," Valenzuela adds, "but regarding water efficiency for food production in a context of drought that has hit us for 15 years, we believe that the proposed modifications to the Irrigation Law in Congress will not help to encourage less use of water for various agricultural tasks, since the new conditions for the allocation of resources could be arbitrary and even discriminatory." In this way, Jorge Valenzuela indicates that a medium-sized producer with more than 20 hectares will no longer be able to invest in irrigation. "This leaves 4,000 fruit companies without access to the instrument, which is equivalent to 82% of the 375 thousand hectares of fruit trees in Chile," graphic. "And if we talk about cherry production, 66% of the surface area of this species will be left without investment for irrigation." The president of Fedefruta affirms that where there is most need for support with irrigation technology is in critical areas of water availability, ensuring the transfer of technologies in areas affected by drought, regardless of arbitrariness that may be defined with the modifications. "The changes to the Irrigation Law go against technological development and the technical capabilities of innovation for the proper use of water," concludes the representative of the fruit growers. "President Boric spoke of pro-growth plans in the public account, but the modifications to this law are anti-growth, anti-investment, anti-efficiency, anti-promotion, even anti-rurality and care for the environment itself, because it will leave thousands of producers without the tools to face this severe problem of scarcity." For the leader, the norm should focus on technological transfer, extension work and training in this type of tools and technologies. “Since the irrigation law was passed, it has been possible to make the fruit growing area more technological, providing efficient water use to producers who support the work in the fields and contribute with food to the basic basket. These changes will not bring anything in favor of a secure supply.” |
