Corn and sorghum seeds get a subsidy of 80% of the cost.

Applications supporting the purchase of corn and sorghum seeds in the Azores will open next week – the Azorean government announced yesterday. The Regional Regulatory Decree establishing the measure was published in the Diário da República yesterday.
The application period is between September 18th and October 9th. Farmers who purchase corn or sorghum seeds for cultivation in 2023 are eligible for this support, and invoices for the purchase of maize and sorghum between January 1 and June 15, 2023, will be considered for this purpose.
The amount of support to be granted corresponds to 80% of the eligible amount of the purchase of corn or sorghum seeds, up to a limit of 265 euros per hectare in the case of maize and 145 euros per hectare in the case of sorghum.


MORE CORN
According to data from the Regional Secretariat for Agriculture and Rural Development, the production area of corn for silage reached a new record in the Azores this year.
In 2023, the area sown was 13,641.44 hectares, which, compared to 2018, represents an increase of 1,623.95 hectares, or 13.5%.
This increase is mainly due to support for the purchase of seeds and the end of apportionments for this crop, which sometimes reached 50%, according to a note from regional secretary António Ventura.
According to the Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Rural Development, “a larger area of corn means progressive autonomy in this raw material, both for animal and human food.”
“In this way, we are moving towards greater independence from the import of raw materials, which constitutes regional wealth, with benefits in terms of greater resilience to crises, the fight against climate change, the settlement of people and job creation,” said António Ventura.
Meanwhile, the region is trying to have an indigenous species of corn recognized within Portugal and the European Union.

in Diário Insular-José Lourenço, director

Translated to English as a community outreach program from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Cultures Department (MCLL) as part of Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance)  at California State University, Fresno.

http://www.diarioinsular.pt/