The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mohamed Abdelhafid Henni and members of the Secretariat-General of the National Union of Algerian peasants have agreed to create two joint committees to study issues related to agricultural real estate and the payment of taxes and royalties related thereto, a ministry statement said on Tuesday.
This came during a meeting, which took place on Monday at the ministry’s headquarters, with the participations of the Minister, the union’s members and the ministry’s executives, adds the same source.
During this meeting, the members the union asked to review some of the regulatory texts and instructions and update others in order to optimize the use of agricultural land and secure the real exploiters of agricultural property, in accordance with the principle of “land for those who serve it,” the statement explains.
In this regard, the minister stressed that the process of purging agricultural land is continuing in the field through the census of unused and abandoned lands, as well as the revision of the applied texts of law 10-03 of August 15, 2010 in order to “optimize” the use of agricultural land belonging to the private property of the state.
In this context, the two parties agreed to form a joint committee that would include executives from the ministry and representatives of the Union to study all issues related to agricultural real estate and find appropriate solutions to the problems.
It was also agreed to form a second joint committee to study issues related to taxation and payment of royalties by peasants exploiting the agricultural lands belonging to the private property of the state through concession, the ministry added.
On the other hand, the secretary general of the Union stressed during this meeting the readiness of the Union as an economic partner to support the public authorities in their efforts to modernize the agricultural sector, raise national production and enhance the food security of the country, noting the importance of coordination between the ministry and the Union, especially with regard to issuing or preparing legal instructions and texts related to the sector.
With regard to the livestock sector, the members of the Union hailed the decision of the public authorities to raise the quota of subsidized barley for the month of February to support the livestock farmers and preserve the National Livestock, demanding strict control over speculators who take advantage of the lack of rain to raise feed prices in the market.
Regarding the high prices of agricultural products of mass consumption, especially potatoes, the members of the general secretariat of the Union were assured that the production is sufficient to meet the needs and that the speculation in prices is due to the large number of intermediaries.
In this regard, the minister called on farmers and livestock farmers to organize and to engage in cooperatives to better benefit from state support and other exemptions, stressing that the ministry is ready to take the necessary measures in coordination with the Union and the state chambers of agriculture, according to the statement.
