agricultural organization ASAJA Alicante It celebrates the 13th of its 2022 Awards this Friday, which awards agricultural farms in Alicante. Making a special effort in terms of renewal of generations, quality, sustainability, quality, equity and advocacy of the sector, the Awards are presented as part of the Alicantina Agricultural Night, an annual event organized by ASAJA Alicante. A symbolic designation that shows the importance of the agricultural sector of our province.
Throughout 2022, the agricultural sector experienced a series of grievances that seriously affected the activity in our province: excessive increase in production costs; the blows of the pandemic; the Vall d’Ebo fire, which devastated thousands of cultivated fields and carried away hundreds of dreams; serious situation where livestock, and especially Valencian professional beekeeping, are at serious risk of disappearing; Insecticides and, above all, water, which have been banned in Spain for decades, and the uncontrolled entry of fruit from other countries; Discontinuation of the Tagus Segura Transfer, in a decision that ASAJA Alicante considers “unilateral and political, lacking any scientific or technical report to justify it”.
Officials and assistants
With the participation of Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development, Climate Emergency and Ecological Transition, Isaura Navarro, regional director of the Ministry of Agriculture, Mari Carmen Catalá, the regional Minister of Agriculture, Roger Llanes, Deputy for Public Works, Local Development, Productive Sectors and Employment, Sebastián Cañadas, Tajo-Segura Lucas Jiménez, president of the Aqueduct Central Irrigators’ Association, a broad representative of agricultural organizations, provincial irrigation communities, among other local and provincial authorities, businessmen in the agri-food sector, and approximately 350 delegates -farmers and ranchers – from ASAJA Alicante.
AWARD-WINNING
- RURAL WOMEN AWARD 2022: La Maye MansionTwo teenage sisters who decided 10 years ago to leave the city life and move to the century-old family farm. They built their own vegetable gardens, planted fruit trees, and made bets on the livestock world. They make it visible daily their work through their social networks (more 17.6k followers 136,000 subscribers on Instagram and YouTube), At a time when depopulation and lack of intergenerational relief poses a real and growing threat to the Alicante agricultural sector.
- YOUNG FARMERS AWARD 2022: VICENT LLODRÁ RUZ, Five years ago, a young farmer from Cocentaina went to Beniaia, the town of his grandfather and father, only to be able to dedicate himself physically, spiritually and professionally to the land his father and grandfather owned there. However, the fire in Vall d’Ebo destroyed 90% of 17 hectares of cherry and olive trees.
- 2022 AGRICULTURE-FOOD QUALITY AND SUSTAINABILITY AWARD: COCENTAINA CATHOLIC AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVE. Tired of innovation, always looking for a way to reach the consumer and give them an unforgettable experience with their products. very high quality EVOO Oli El Comtat What they produce and market is determined by the continuous improvement of the extraction processes within the mill and the excellent processing of olives with a careful ancestral tradition of caring for olive trees.
- PROFESSIONAL FARMERS AWARD 2022: ROQUE LUIS BRU BONET. Roque Bru represents the transition from traditional farmer to agricultural entrepreneur. Roque, who has a degree in economics, runs a farm with more than 75 hectares of fruit crops, making him the most important farmer in Campo de Elche.
- LIVESTOCK AWARD 2022: HONEY AND NATURAL PRODUCTS, MELECA. This award is a tribute to all beekeepers in the Community of Valencia who are going through a critical situation. This family of beekeepers from Adsubia is regarded as an example of family unity, courage and overcoming difficulties.