Thessaly: What happens a year after Daniel [γραφήματα] – 2024-09-05 04:04:09

Indelibly etched in the memories of everyone, not only the residents of Thessaly, but the entire country, will remain^or September 2023. Day, when the greatest disaster in recent years took place, as the extreme effects of Daniel mercilessly hit the primary sector as well, drowning crops in water and mud and drowning herds.

A year after the devastating floods and the farmers, breeders and fishermen in Thessaly measure their wounds, giving a real battle to rise again through the mud. The burdened situation is made even more difficult, as the state apparatus is under-functioning, while many promises and announcements have been left empty.

Compensations that have not yet been paid to all those affected, measures that were announced and either did not proceed due to …weaknesses or have not yet started, but also projects to shield the Thessalian plain that are progressing at a slow pace make up the situation, according to the representatives of the agricultural world.

In the Thessalian plain, of 3.47 million acres, almost ¼ of the arable land was buried under water

Thus, although primary production in Thessaly was the main “pillar” of our country’s agricultural economy, today it struggles for its survival, failing to return to the rhythms of the pre-Daniel era.

The data are revealing

The impact of Daniel’s effects is evident on the economy of Thessaly and by extension the national economy. It is noteworthy that the Thessalian economy provides approximately 5% of the country’s GDP, i.e. 8 billion euros.

In the Thessalian plain, of 3.47 million acres, almost ¼ of the arable land was buried under water. Of the total acres, 2.3 million are “irrigated”, where 38% of domestic cotton production and 52% of industrial tomatoes are produced. Over 50% of domestic production is the percentage of fruit and nut production (pears, apples, chestnuts, walnuts), while in meat production, Thessaly produces over 18% in cattle, as well as occupying a very high position in pig farming and livestock farming.

According to ELGA data, a total of 178,938,741.75 euros were given to the producers of the four prefectures of Thessaly for the damage to the plant capital in 827,397.58 acres, while the corresponding amount for the livestock capital amounts to 17,963824.87 euros for 124,559 animals.

Small and big battles for their survival are fought by the farmers of Thessaly

Awaiting compensation

Troubled and incomplete payments, which do not match the damages suffered by the producers and delays in the payment of compensations have left the producers desperate, who are trying to get back on their feet after Daniel’s merciless beating.

According to ELGA data, the compensations given so far amount to 270.2 million euros, while the total amount to be spent is 310 million euros. According to statements by the leadership of the Ministry of Rural Development and Food, the 40 million euros are expected to be paid to the beneficiaries by the end of September.

Also, about 43 million euros were paid from the EU’s agricultural reserve to support agricultural production in the coastal areas, as well as 16 million euros in crops (pig farms, poultry farms, greenhouses, flower farms, etc.), which were not insured by ELGA.

“One year later we are waiting for the compensations to be completed”, the president of the Thessaly Cattle Breeders’ Federation Dimitris Baloukas points out to OT, emphasizing that “the labyrinthine bureaucratic system has the result that there are still cattle breeders who have not been compensated, making it difficult for them to move forward. At the moment, the affected breeders, although most did not give up and rebuilt their herds, are squeezed financially. Everyone should get what they are entitled to as quickly as possible so that they can continue to produce.”

Thessaly unfortified

A year later, the farmers and breeders of Thessaly are fighting big and small battles to be able to continue to stay in their place and produce. According to them, the lack of a strategy to save the primary sector is evident, while the measures that have been announced, in order to shield the region from similar climate phenomena in the future, are also non-existent.

The anxiety that Thessaly remains vulnerable to possible new extreme weather phenomena is expressed to OT by the president of the Agricultural Cooperative of Enipeas of Farsala, Thanasis Karaiskos and a member of the Board of Directors of ETHEAS: “In the area outside Farsala, where the disasters were great, the embankments in Enipea river and the drains have not been made, the channels have not been cleaned. We hear that money is being given for infrastructure projects, but we haven’t seen it yet. The same had happened with Ianos, where announcements had been made by the prime minister for projects worth several million euros, but which we did not see.”

At the same time, as Mr. Karaiskos emphasizes, “for the implementation of the necessary projects, the region throws the ball to the government and vice versa the government to the region. And we, the producers, are waiting for what will happen in the end, hoping that these extreme phenomena will not be repeated.”

Measures on …papers

Measure 5.2 amounting to 45 million euros, which concerns the free replacement of the animals that were lost and the free reconstruction of the stables that were destroyed, was left on paper.

As Mr. Karaiskos pointed out to OT, “the specific measure did not proceed as it had many weaknesses, as it asked the livestock farmers for a series of supporting documents which were difficult for the affected livestock farmers to have at their disposal, such as insurance and tax information. So the breeders continue to remain in the air, as many of them have not been able to replace their livestock.”

Source: ot.gr