In 2023, 75 thousand euros in compensation will be ascertained, compared to requests for over 415 thousand euros
The province of Taranto faces an unprecedented emergency situation due to the damage caused by wild boars to agricultural crops. In 2023, the compensation assessed by the Puglia Region amounted to almost 75 thousand euros, out of a total of compensation requests that exceeded 415 thousand euros. These numbers, reported by the bulletin of the Provincial Territorial Hunting Area, show an exponential increase compared to the 15 thousand euros ascertained in 2019.
The increase in the wild boar population was particularly evident during the lockdown, when the animals proliferated undisturbed, especially in the agricultural areas of Ginosa, Laterza and Castellaneta. From 2020 to today, the compensations ascertained in the province of Taranto have exceeded 320 thousand euros, confirming the seriousness of the situation.
Wild boars pose a threat not only to crops, but also to agricultural infrastructure, road safety and population centers. Their incursions, which take place both day and night, put agricultural production and the safety of citizens at risk, as well as damaging the food and wine excellences of the region.
The Due Mari area of Cia Agricoltori Italiani di Puglia underlines the need for immediate interventions, criticizing the bureaucratic delays and the lack of responsibility on the part of the institutions involved, including the Government, the Region and the Territorial Hunting Areas (ATC). According to the association, the killing of wild boars should be intensified to reduce the number of animals and contain the damage.
Furthermore, Cia Agricoltori Italiani di Puglia calls for a revision of the hunting law n. 157 of 1992, now considered obsolete. The proposal includes the introduction of a monitoring and census system for wild boars throughout the territory, together with the promotion of the hunting chain.
The situation requires immediate and concrete responses to guarantee the health, safety of citizens and the future of the agricultural sector in Puglia.
