Orihuela councillor attends Madrid demo in support of agriculture

ORIHUELA’S Agriculture councillor Victor Valverde joined the Madrid protests in defence of agriculture and the countryside on March 20.

According to official estimates, approximately 100,000 demonstrators from every Spanish region marched from the Ministry of Agriculture to the Environment Ministry, although the organisers placed this at 400,000.

All were calling for a better future for rural communities and the activities that support them.

“Both Orihuela’s mayor Emilio Bascuñana and I have always been on the side of the growers and those who need irrigation water, supporting them when they need to demand their rights from the administrations,” Valverde said.

“Agriculture is one of the principal driving forces of our economy and we cannot allow it to be neglected.”

The agricultural sector’s future was at stake, the councillor continued, and city hall would continue to ask for urgent measures to alleviate the damage caused by years of drought.

“All the administrations should be helping farmers and growers but instead we have to come out in their defence to counteract rising prices, the Tajo water plan, the cost of desalinated water and unfair competition amongst other problems,” Valverde said.