The agri-food sector in Baix Llobregat accounts for 7.2% of the county’s GDP and has grown in a balanced way with more technification of farms and the introduction of new crops.
In this sense, we welcome the pact of the municipalities and organizations of the sector to promote a food hub in the region, which will act as a revulsive and guarantee the proximity agriculture of Barcelona.
It is therefore essential to provide legal certainty for investments, one of the priorities being action on the water system, in order to put an end to the constant flooding of land when there is more or less considerable rainfall.
The ACA must carry out the canalisation and infrastructure works that have been demanded by the sector and which have not been carried out for years.
On the other hand, the extension of the SPA would force the abandonment of high-efficiency agriculture because it is impossible to maintain the activity with a protection regime that leads to the ruin of companies in the sector with losses of up to 30%, which will imply the loss of projects and investments.
For these reasons, we oppose the extension of the SPA so that it compromises the food security of the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona and so that the improvement of the environment does not involve the deterioration of the local agri-food industry.
Not extending the airport and the extension of the SPA are two measures that go against the future of Catalonia. The Government of Catalonia must be brave and lead one of the most emblematic projects of recent years that would make possible an investment of 1700 million euros and the creation of thousands of jobs, reordering the territory without ruining an industry with growth potential.
August 2022
