The Chamber of Ferreira do Alentejo, no Beja district, asked for a reinforcement of GNR policing and ASAE inspection to combat recurring thefts of melon and watermelon in the municipality's agricultural fields.
Farmers “can’t take this anymore, are experiencing stress due to this recurring situation and are asking for help and it is necessary for the competent authorities to intervene”, said the president of the municipality, Luis Pita Plum (PS).
Noting that, by this height, melon and watermelon harvest is underway, the mayor argued that farmers are worried about “individuals or groups of individuals who attack melons, stealing and destroying”.
“People see the fruits of their labor being stolen and are already taking their own measures to go to the land and some even sleep there to try to defend their possessions., your assets, its production”, said.
According to Pita Ameixa, who was unable to specify the number of melon or watermelon thefts that have occurred in the municipality so far, those responsible “then sell on the black market, on a walking basis or to recipients”.
Given the situation, indicated, the chamber held a meeting of the Municipal Security Council, which included the participation of farmers and in which it was decided to “ask for reinforcement from the entities” responsible for policing and inspection.
“I asked the Ministers of Agriculture and Internal Administration to reinforce security measures near these agricultural fields, namely through the security forces”, revealed the president of the municipality.
The mayor recalled that there is already increased supervision and security during the olive harvest, arguing that this program “has given some results” and that an identical one “for this time of melon and watermelon would also perhaps be useful”.
Pita Ameixa said she had also communicated to the Food and Economic Security Authority (ASAE) the need for “reinforced supervision of this type of sales”, pointing out that, Furthermore, a public health problem may be involved.
“This fruit has phytosanitary treatments”, that require “times and safety margins” before being sold, but the rules of the one who is stolen “are not respected”, because “those who steal do not respect or know the safety margins”, claimed.
At this point, in Ferreira do Alentejo, according to the president of the municipality, there is an abundance of land where melons and watermelons are produced and “many dozens of people” dedicate themselves to this activity.
"Some [farmers] they have a little bit of land, others rent the land just for this period and there are one or two larger, but most are small areas and some have several three or four hectares in different locations”, he added.
News: Lidador NotĂcias/ Agroportal
