In order to address the emergency situation caused by the Covid-19, the main actions and efforts of Catalunya Region have been directed at avoiding the breakage of the food chain in any of its stages (production, transformation, distribution, marketing and consumption). The main objective is to ensure the supply of food to the population and, secondarily, to avoid losses in foreign markets.
Support for the most affected sectors
Fishing is one of the sectors most affected by the crisis. In order to guarantee the minimum functioning of the fishing sector, a system of minimum services has been established in each territorial fishing area (Girona, Barcelona and Tarragona) consisting of 2 ports of landing and an authorised fish market.
The wine sector also has to face the difficulty in exports and the closure of hotels and restaurants. The priorities identified to counteract the crisis are to reduce grape and wine production, to boost the circular economy and organic viticulture, as well as the distillation of wine surpluses, the improvement of traceability control, and promotion to recover sales as soon as possible. The Department of Agriculture will promote different lines of economic, financial and fiscal support and the flexibility of deadlines.
More information: El sector vitivinícola acorda l'impuls de mesures urgents per a reduir els efectes del coronavirus (15 April 2020)
Extension of administrative deadlines
The deadline for presentation of the Single Farm Financial Statement for Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) grants for 2020 has been extended from April 30 until 15 June (direct subsidies, sustainability grants, competitiveness grants, and other procedures). Concerning grants for the restructuring and reconversion of vineyards, the term will be extended up to 15 calendar days after suspension of the state of alarm.
Maintenance of weekly fresh produce markets
The Department of the Interior in collaboration with the Department of Health and the Department of Agriculture have set new conditions to ensure the continuity of weekly markets for fresh produce, which are considered essential to ensure food supplies. The weekly markets are a municipal responsibility, therefore the municipalities must ensure that there are no crowds and that a number of hygiene and social distancing measures are taken.
More information: Noves mesures per garantir la continuïtat dels mercats setmanals de productes frescos a l'aire lliure (3 April 2020)
Campaign #AlimentsDeProp
Prodeca, the public company of the Department of Agriculture that aims to promote the sector and Catalan food products, has promoted the social campaign and the platform #AlimentsDeProp to bring together producers and consumers. Producers publish their offers on the platform and at the same time on Twitter with the hashtag #AlimentsDeProp, accompanied by the indication of the location.
In addition, since the beginning of the health alert, the Department of Agriculture has launched on its social networks the hashtag #CuidemLaNostraPagesia – Let's take care of our countryside, to promote, through various videos, the consumption of local products in support of the Catalan agri-food sector.
More information: El Departament d'Agricultura agraeix la feina del sector agroalimentari per proveir aliments a la ciutadania durant els dies de confinament (16 April 2020)
Proximity plan of the large distribution
The Catalan supermarket chain, Caprabo, with the support of the Department of Agriculture of the Government of Catalonia and the Federation of Agricultural Cooperatives of Catalonia (FCAC), has launched an open call to small producers and agri-food cooperatives to market their products and support them in the current health alert situation.
More information: 50 pequeños productores se acogen al plan de proximidad de Coprabo (14 April 2020)
Distance learning
The programme of distance learning courses has been strengthened, increasing the number of participants, to guarantee the maintenance of the continuous training activities and to ensure that all the professionals who need it can take the courses they wanted or had to take online.
More information: El Departament d'Agricultura reforça l'activitat de Formació contínua a Distància, en haver hagut de suspendre les activitats presencials i semipresencials a causa del COVID-19 (16 March 2020)
