From AEFA have ensured that the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has been "fundamental key" in the development of this sector in the last twenty years and has allowed the industry to grow by 500% and able to produce 1,800,000 thousand kilos.
In an interview, the director of AEFA, Joaquín Capistran explained that since Spain joined the European Union (EU) have had the support of the Common Market Organization (CMO) in dried fodder, which has been "key" to the takeoff of the sector.
According to the director of AEFA, with the direct assistance to industry for processing of fodder, it has been paying an attractive price to the farmer, giving the industry profitability and has reasonable prices for livestock.
He also highlighted that the CAP has been worth the production of alfalfa in Spain that meet soil conditions, weather or irrigation system with no other countries have.
To Capistran, this has placed Spain as first European producer of alfalfa, nearly doubling to France, in 2010 and placed Spain as second largest exporter behind the United States.
As for how this sector has adapted to the reforms of the CAP, Capistran has indicated that they occurred in 1995, the industry had to "hard" investments to comply with the rules, especially in teams of dehydration, and for the farmer in teams of chopped forage collection.
In the reform of 2006/2007, as he added, there were no "major setbacks" since that season started a "strong" export of fodder to UAE, which led to improved sales prices and purchase.
However, it has shown its concern for the years 2012 and 2013, as from April 1 next year will receive the aid farmers as decoupled single payment over and productions of 2007 and 2008.
During both years, external factors such as international prices of agricultural commodities and prices of milk will determine such things as the industry supply and demand.
Looking to the future CAP, Capistran has ensured that the sector covers conditions "that make creditor" to be supported and meets the policy objectives such as sustainable food production, sustainable management of natural resources and climate action balanced territorial development.
Among the demands of the sector, is urging the government to the future CAP will focus primarily on alfalfa, that includes a component for growing green or ecological, in the coupled aid, have a budget and links the help to a contract with the processing industry and a certain amount delivered.
Data provided by AEFA gather that there are currently spread across 74 industries: Aragon (37), Castilla y Leon (12), Catalonia (11), Castilla-La Mancha (6), Navarra (4), Andalusia (2), Extremadura (1), and Baleares (1).
These industries employ 2926 people and its investment in the last decade has reached 223 million euros.
