Saturday 18th, in the fishing port of Manfredonia
“99 days to save agriculture and fishing by reopening hope”, is the explanatory slogan of the demonstration called by Coapi (Coordination of Italian farmers and fishermen) for Saturday 18th on the commercial port of Manfredonia. «On Italian tables – is the complaint – the catch from our seas is just 20 percent of the market. And this is a negative signal about the state of crisis of our navy, which has to deal with production costs that cannot stand up to the competition from other countries. There is a supply chain to defend like that of the primary sector, which saw fishermen demonstrate together with farmers and breeders. “Made in Italy” must be defended by strengthening networks. The Meloni government has the task of listening and intervening with concrete facts. Next Saturday’s protest in Manfredonia is above all this.”
A series of thematic initiatives began last April 5th and will continue for 99 days until July 13th, with the aim of developing a network alliance between local food producers, i.e. farmers, fishermen, artisanal processors, to face together the crisis imposed by the model of financial and commercial speculation and by the agro-industrial model. «An increasingly urgent and indispensable alliance, that between those who work the land and in the sea, who face common problems, common enemies, common interests».
The clear demonstration of a now well-established truth is the fishing sector of Manfredonia, which has gone from the exhilarating number of over four hundred fishing boats a few years ago to the current figure of around 180 units. Unequivocal numbers whose negative effects have cascading repercussions on a vast and varied industry. A particular situation compared to the more general national one. «The market for fish coming from our seas – it is highlighted – represents only 20% of the total consumed by Italians, thus signaling a critical situation for our maritime industry. Production costs, which are not competitive compared to other countries, are putting a strain on the economic sustainability of our fishermen. It is necessary to defend the fishing supply chain as we have done for the primary sector, uniting the demonstrations of fishermen, farmers and breeders.”
The aim of the initiative is “to create a unity between local producers: farmers, breeders, fishermen, artisan suppliers, to address the crisis due to financial speculation and the agro-industrial model. The alliance between those who work the land and the sea – they point out – becomes increasingly crucial as they face similar problems, with common adversaries and shared interests”.
Michael Apollonius
