Grape producers in Costa Blanca at risk after shock insurance rise

DISASTER: The price increase would endanger the sector

The Mayors of the municipalities belonging to the Association of grape producers ‘Uva de Mesa Embolsada Vinalopó’, are willing to adopt pressure measures to defend the sector against the prospect of a new rise in agricultural insurance.
Novelda, Aspe, Monforte del Cid, La Romana and Agost have come together to criticise the Ministry of Agriculture for not fulfilling their pledge to offer farmers ‘à la carte insurance’ to reduce their costs.
Agroseguro announced an increase of more than nine per cent in the price of agricultural insurance by 2020. The news led to an emergency meeting between the Mayors and the representatives of the bagged grape sector, to analyse the situation and determine a solution.
Shortly before the meeting, Mayor of Novelda Fran Martínez, criticised the Ministry of Agriculture for breaching the agreements that had been reached between them. Senior officials of the Ministry vowed to study the feasibility of a reduction in prices just two weeks before announcing the insurance increase.
The sector estimates that the rise in insurance prices could put 12,000 jobs in jeopardy and the Mayors of the region have announced they will deploy all the necessary political actions to defend their prized sector.

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