Due to the changes proposed by the extension of the Irrigation Promotion Law, which leaves medium-sized fruit producers without benefits to improve and make their irrigation systems efficient, compromises technological development in the use of water in the activity in southern Chile, and does not consider training in these essential tools for smaller farmers, Fedefruta participated in the session of the Agriculture Commission of the Chamber of Deputies, to make known the concerns that have been collected from the entire fruit sector.
“For us, fruit producers, Law 18,450 has been the best instrument that the Ministry of Agriculture has had to support farmers in promoting efficient use of water and the incorporation of fruit growers of all sizes into the system, given the possibility of being able to modernize the fields,” The president of the Federation, Jorge Valenzuela Trebilcock, began by saying. "However, we are concerned that companies with sales of over 50 thousand UF only receive a 2% bonus, since there are many medium-sized producers above this range."
In fact, it is precisely the definition of medium-sized fruit grower in these modifications that has the sector on alert, he told the parliamentarians of the Commission. “As Fedefruta, we hope that the criteria for allocation based on sales are reviewed, as these changes are in place. We believe that the limit of 100 thousand UF should be maintained, as is the Internal Revenue Service standard for categorizing medium-sized companies, in order to include them in this extension of the law.”
Fruit growing in Chile has been moving southwards due to water availability and the incorporation of species such as the European hazelnut, walnuts, and genetics for even stone fruit trees, which allow planting in areas that were not previously considered fruit-growing areas. "Today, precisely what is needed in Biobío to the south is to incorporate technologies and irrigation works, so that farmers can not only dedicate themselves to traditional crops and animals, but also have the possibility of
“to grow fruit”.
In this way, the representative of the fruit producers called not to stop the investment policies in irrigation for the efficient development of the activity. Small farmers without training for the use of irrigation technologies Jorge Valenzuela, also, commented that within the rural areas, small farmers are the least technologically advanced, "And of course we have to move forward
In that regard, but there is no talk of support measures or training to use the technologies that are installed thanks to the Irrigation Law”, he explained. “Nowadays, giving irrigation equipment to a small producer is like giving a Ferrari to someone who does not have a driver's license, and the truth is that all these highly technological implements are not used if there is no support, training, or assistance from those who provide the subsidies.”
The president of Fedefruta also insisted that, if transfer measures are not considered in these technologies, “Small and medium-sized non-INDAP producers would be left without training to use irrigation.”
Within the agricultural world, engineering companies have also emerged that have dedicated themselves to the incorporation of irrigation technology, “advisors, technicians and SMEs that have developed in precision agriculture and technological irrigation to achieve efficiency of up to 90% in the use of water, which by limiting the Irrigation Law can see their flows affected and cause damage to the same technological transfer for all producers”, the union leader emphasized.
Fedefruta will continue to hold discussions on the real scope of the modifications to the Irrigation Law with parliamentarians and government authorities who have promoted and designed the project, in order to include the producers and areas that most require investment and training in water efficiency.
