A government statement said that this scheme has an allocation of €700,000 from national funds.

He explained that water is one of the biggest challenges for agriculture in Malta, especially due to climate change.

“For many farmers, the only solution remains to purchase water by bowser at great expense, especially during the summer months. This scheme is a practical and targeted measure to reduce the burden on farmers and keep our agriculture strong and sustainable,” he said.

To apply, farmers must be registered as active farmers with the Agriculture and Rural Payments Agency (ARPA), be classified as Category 2 or higher, be beneficiaries of the Areas with Natural Constraints (ANC) scheme during 2024, use irrigation water on their cultivated fields through water purchased from bowsers, and have purchased a water supply equivalent to the minimum required for each category, between 1 June and 30 September, as indicated in the guidelines.

Applicants must also submit a crop plan for the summer period and keep fiscal receipts from licensed water suppliers (authorised by the Regulator for Energy and Water Services – REWS) showing the volume of water purchased.

At the application stage, receipts do not need to be presented. After the summer ends and the list of eligible applicants is published, ARPA will request the presentation of these receipts, the statement said.

Applications will be open until 26 September. Interested farmers may apply by visiting the ARPA Offices at the Pitkalija or the Xewkija Experimental Farm in Gozo.

Applications must reach ARPA before the deadline. Further details can be found in the detailed guidelines on the website arpa.gov.mt.

For more information, farmers may contact ARPA on 2292 6148 or send an email to arpa.mafa@gov.mt

The post Government launches irrigation water aid scheme for farmers first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

This project, co-financed by European funds, is being carried out by the Aquatic Resources Malta agency at its laboratory located at San Luċjan Tower. It will introduce two new species to local aquaculture: the Greater Amberjack (Seriola dumerili) and the Red Porgy (Pagrus pagrus).

The Parliamentary Secretary expressed her satisfaction with the agency’s work, highlighting that such projects contribute to Malta’s progress in aquaculture development. She explained that the main goal of this initiative is to enhance the resilience and competitiveness of the Maltese aquaculture sector through research and innovation in key areas such as reproduction, breeding, nutrition, and fish health.

“This project demonstrates our country’s continuous commitment to maintaining aquaculture as a sustainable, innovative, and forward-looking sector. The work being carried out not only prepares the industry for global competition but also ensures that Malta remains among the leading nations investing in advanced research for fish production through more efficient and sustainable methods,” said Parliamentary Secretary Bugeja Said.

The CEO of Aquatic Resources Malta, Frank Fabri, explained that the project began with a call for interest addressed to MFA and MFB fishers, who were asked to collect Greater Amberjack and Red Porgy samples between September and October 2024. These samples were placed in quarantine until they reached the appropriate size and were then transferred to specialized tanks for the first phase of the reproduction process. Fabri stated that the ultimate goal is to obtain fish eggs, rear the larvae, and complete the full reproduction cycle of these species within local aquaculture facilities.

“As part of this initiative, a market study is also being conducted to identify and acquire specialized equipment that will strengthen the capacity of laboratories and fish farming facilities. This investment will ensure the long-term sustainability of this innovative project,” concluded Dr. Frank Fabri.

The post Aquatic Resources Malta launches new project for diversification of fish species in Maltese aquaculture first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

The meeting also addressed the challenges faced by European farmers, particularly in cases where they are forced to sell their products at prices lower than production costs. Minister Refalo stressed that this practice is unsustainable, as it continues to weaken farmers’ livelihoods and hinder the growth of the agricultural sector. The discussion took place in the context of two proposals aimed at strengthening farmers’ positions in the food supply chain and enhancing cooperation between enforcement authorities in different Member States against unfair commercial practices. The Minister underlined the importance of contract agreements between farmers, as primary producers in the food supply chain, and buyers, to prevent abuses that often negatively impact small-scale farmers.

Other topics discussed included the risks posed by climate change, which threaten agriculture, food security, and rural livelihoods. Minister Anton Refalo recalled how MED9 countries have called for a comprehensive approach to address these challenges and safeguard ecosystems, cultural heritage, and food systems.

Regarding the organic sector, Minister Refalo also emphasized the importance of attracting more farmers and livestock breeders to related schemes.

The post Malta committed to ensuring fair economic returns for farmers first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

The Parliamentary Secretary praised the leadership and strategic vision of the Hungarian Presidency over recent months, particularly its efforts to ensure a more transparent process for negotiating fishing opportunities.

She noted Malta’s close monitoring of negotiations and discussions among EU Member States in recent weeks, as well as its key contributions to the annual meetings of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) and the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). During her address at the Council, Bugeja Said highlighted the European Commission\u2019s leadership in these international forums, emphasizing the priority placed on achieving fair and viable solutions for fish stock management.

Amid increasing global competition, she stressed the importance of the European Union adopting a united and strong position within the framework of Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs). The Commission, working closely with Member States, must continue to robustly defend collective EU interests against third countries that fail to respect international law. “The integrity of our fleets and the protection of fish stocks must remain non-negotiable priorities,” she asserted.

Bugeja Said further remarked that recent technical discussions represented a significant step forward, yielding robust outcomes aligned with Malta’s strategic objectives. Consequently, Malta expressed its full support for the two proposals on fishing opportunities for 2025, confident that they reflect a fair balance between sustainability and economic development.

“We look forward with optimism to future scientific advice that will reward our fishers for the significant efforts and sacrifices they have made over the years, which have directly impacted their economic conditions. We also believe in the need for a balanced approach that safeguards not only fish stocks but also the economic and social livelihoods of our fishing communities. Small-scale and artisanal fishers play a crucial role in our economic and cultural fabric, and this role must be recognized and protected,” the Parliamentary Secretary emphasized.

She concluded by reaffirming Malta’s full commitment to working towards equitable and sustainable conditions in the Mediterranean region. “The fight against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing is essential to prevent irreparable harm to our collective conservation efforts. We must continue striving for a European maritime policy that respects biodiversity and supports the livelihoods of our communities while sending a clear message of global leadership in marine management.”

On the sidelines of the Council meeting, Parliamentary Secretary Bugeja Said met with the new EU Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, Costas Kadis, extending her congratulations on his new role and expressing her eagerness for future collaboration.

The post Agreement on EU fishing quotas for 2025 first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

During her intervention, Parliamentary Secretary Alicia Bugeja Said emphasised the importance of recognising and rewarding the sacrifices Maltese and Gozitan fishers have been making for years. “We must provide greater support to our fishers, who face numerous challenges daily to earn their livelihood. As a government, we have launched several measures to assist local fishers and will continue to implement various initiatives to ensure a more sustainable sector,” Bugeja Said stated.

She also highlighted the need for stricter controls in the Mediterranean Sea to ensure compliance with regulations, particularly by non-EU countries. Furthermore, the Parliamentary Secretary stressed the importance of conducting further studies to potentially increase fish catch quotas for fishers.

“As a country, we are insisting on increasing quotas because scientific studies and data clearly show that current fishing practices are sustainable and do not harm fish populations. This is evident in species like tuna and dolphinfish, among others, which are two of the most popular types of fish in our country,” Bugeja Said added.

The Council of Ministers also discussed the agricultural sector, where Malta advocated its position. Malta emphasized the need for greater flexibility in the Strategic Plans of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and in State Aid regulations. Additionally, Malta called for the allocation of funds not only during times of crisis but also as a preventive measure to address challenges linked to climate change, including droughts and floods.

The post Alicia Bugeja Said attends EU Fisheries Ministers’ Council in Brussels first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

Through this investment, approximately 14,000 square meters will be transformed into an open space to support and accommodate the agriculture and food production sectors. The project, which will be managed by the Malta Food Agency, will create a platform to promote the value of local food products, including fruits, vegetables, and artisanal goods, making them accessible to everyone, the government said.

 Minister Anton Refalo said that this project will provide farmers, herders, and producers with an essential platform to showcase their products. It will also give consumers the opportunity to purchase local products directly from producers. He added that it will also serve as an open space for Maltese and Gozitan families in a different way.

 “This market is more than an investment in agriculture; it’s an investment in our environment and community. The development of this open area will create a center that enhances the quality of life for residents and visitors alike, providing a sustainable and engaging environment where everyone can come together,” concluded the minister.

The CEO of the Malta Food Agency, Brian Vella, added, “This space will also feature an area where people can eat food prepared with local ingredients, thereby promoting the freshness and quality of our products. Our goal is to improve the quality of life for farmers, herders, producers, and consumers, while strengthening the local economy through agriculture.”

The post €10 million Farmers Market project in Ta’ Qali announced first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

We have just experienced the driest October in the last 100 years, which followed one of the hottest summers we ever lived through, which in turn was followed by heavy rains in early September which led many to think that the summer days were over.

In an interview carried in The Malta Independent on Sunday, Joe Cassar, manager of Malta’s largest farming cooperative, said that it is expected that the price of fruit and vegetables should continue to rise because of shortages that are on the verge of being scarcities.

Farmers continue to struggle to cultivate the produce that is needed – and, let us remember, with more and more people living in Malta on a permanent basis, as the population nears 550,000 – there is an even bigger requirement.

When it does not rain, it is a problem. When it rains in sudden bursts and rather heavily, it is a problem too. And this is what the ever decreasing number of farmers is facing on a year to year, if not week to week, basis.

For example, produce that grows better in colder temperatures, is in difficulty and will take longer to mature, given that the cooler temperatures are still to hit the islands. This has an impact on the cycle of products that is grown locally. Added to this, Cassar explained that farmers are now being required to grow fruit and vegetables that are “new” to Malta as there is a demand for them from the many foreigners who have come to live here.

While it is normal that there are years which are drier than others, what is happening lately is of greater concern. To have an October with just 0.2 millimetres of rainfall is something that has never been seen and this kind of weather changes is having its own negative impact on the farmers and their fields.

Lack of rainfall also means that farmers have to use water to irrigate their fields. Water costs money, and this then needs to be reflected in the price consumers have to pay for the products they buy. Maltese farmers also have to contend with the fact that, in this day and age where it is easier and faster to import items from abroad, big companies are bringing in vegetables and fruit from other countries, almost on a daily basis.

Added to all this, plant diseases and pests are also enemies that farmers have to fight against on a regular basis.

It is not an easy time being a farmer, and this situation is likely to push people further away from jobs related to agriculture. Cassar said that most of the farmers are between 55 and 65 years old, and there are few who are aged less than 40. We may be facing an even bigger crisis in the sector in the decades to come.

The post Editorial: Weather effects on agriculture first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

The aims of this project is to draft, finalise, validate and publish the first local IPM (Integrated Pest Management) programmes for five major crops grown locally, namely tomatoes for processing, potatoes, strawberries, olives and vines. This will provide all the necessary strategies to control pest populations and safeguard these crops. For the monitoring phase, the government has sought to invest in some of the latest technological traps available on the market. The main principle of these traps is to facilitate the monitoring of pests. For this reason, these traps are equipped with the required technology and artificial intelligence. The traps, which are powered up by solar energy, catch pests through the use of pheromones and can determine the total count of pests caught everyday and assess the severity of pest populations. Other data parameters, such as weather and soil conditions, are also fed to the system which can be accessed from the office or elsewhere via a connection. 

The Directorate is also in the process of developing computerised models which will allow us to predict how certain pest populations will develop during the growing season of the crop. The five pests that are being studied are Tuta absoluta (susa tat-tadam), Lobesia botrana (susa tad-dwieli), Bactrocera oleae (dubbiena taż-żebbuġ), Phthorimaea operculella (susa tal-patata) and Tetranychus urticae (red spider).  

Through the generation of the prediction models, the Directorate will be in a position to guide farmers on the ideal timing to take the necessary action to control the pest populations effectively and in a more sustainable manner. 

Another part of the project aims to study and determine ways and methods to improve local fodder production, such as identifying the ideal crop, including its subspecies, and possibilities of silage production. 

To date, over 27 farmers and entities have already participated in the monitoring phase of this project. This year, we intend to perform additional monitoring on all the mentioned pests and engage more farmers and entities to help us obtain more data, which will fine-tune the models being developed.

The post Research and Innovation Centre for Maltese Agriculture first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

€1.5 million will be given to farmers and €2.5 million will be allocated to animal breeders. €446,000 will be allocated towards the continuation of the scheme for pig’s welfare next April. Overall, €12.5 million will have amounted in the last three years. Applications will be sent to eligible persons by post within the coming month.

Refalo said that the world has faced an unprecedented situation due to the pandemic, which has left several negative impacts including in the local agricultural sector. He also said that there are major disturbances in trade for essential goods such as grain, as well as necessary inputs for agricultural production such as energy sources and fertilizers.

According to a report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the price of wheat has greatly increased, and will continue to result in a huge rise in grain prices. The ministry will continue to work to provide further financial assistance to farmers and breeders to alleviate the high costs and lack of income due to these difficulties.

Farmers have already been and will be receiving direct payments from PAK in the coming days and weeks, Refalo said.

The post Government allocated €4.5m worth of financial aid for farmers and farm animal breeders first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

The plant at the Public Abattoir in Marsa will be instrumental when it comes to the relaunching of traditional Maltese products on the local market, including the tripe (kirxa).

Minister Refalo explained that the use of these by-products has been lost in recent years, following Malta’s addition to the European Union, as the methods which were used to process such products were no longer acceptable from a hygiene perspective, and the necessary investments to maintain and valorise such products, that had been in use for hundreds of years, were not carried out as had been done in other countries.

“This is another investment, announced in the budget for this year, through which we are helping to boost the competitiveness of the local agricultural sector which is increasingly experiencing strong competition from imported products,” said Minister Refalo. “Through these products, which have a higher potential value in the market, we will be helping Maltese and Gozitan farmers to strengthen their incomes and literally turn what is today considered as waste, into a new opportunity for growth”.

To date, most by-products from locally slaughtered pig, beef, sheep, and goat are incinerated at the Waste Thermal Treatment Plant adjacent to the abattoir. Last year, about 1,700 tons of material were discarded, a large part of which could have had one or more uses. Such material includes by-products that can be used for human consumption, such as tripe or blood. Other by-products, including the horn of some animals, can be used for decorative purposes or in traditional crafts.

The post First plant in Malta for the treatment of animal by-products first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.