Farmers from all over Lazio took part this morning in the initiative promoted by Coldiretti in Piazza di Montecitorio to protest against the government’s lack of action in support of olive growing.
After Puglia, Lazio was one of the regions that recorded the largest drop in production in 2018 (over 40%), with record declines especially in the provinces of Rieti and Latina (58%), caused by a succession of extreme weather events.
“[i]This cannot go on, farmers are exhausted after a nightmare season with no product and irreparably damaged trees[/i] – explains [b]David Granieri[/b], president of Coldiretti Lazio, present at the demonstration together with regional leaders – [i]At stake is not only the future of thousands of families, since this region has around 60,000 olive-growing farms and 329 mills, but also the safety of the territory from an environmental standpoint, with 80,000 hectares of land planted with olive trees, 80% of it in hilly areas, at risk of abandonment. There is no more room for passing the buck or bureaucratic technicalities: immediate planning and funding are needed[/i]”.
Coldiretti Lazio press release, 12 February 2019
