In the domestic agriculture is more than obvious at first glance. This is the Swiss farmers Association (SBV) emphasized at its annual media conference, and he calls for more recognition of the economic benefits of the farmers.
The economy kanzle agriculture as a minor thing, said Francis Egger, head of the Department of economic Affairs, education and International at the farmer Association, according to the speech on Thursday on a farm in Hergiswil with Willisau LU in front of the media. According to official statistics, the primary production of 0.6 percent to the gross domestic product (GDP) of Switzerland.
“Nothing
to talk” “There’s nothing to whitewash,” says Egger. With the agriculture and not let themselves be the big money. But the farmers were convinced that The GDP is totally unsuitable to measure the economic importance of agriculture effectively.
The urban centers and the high-added-value sectors that are covered by the fact that there are also very rural areas, its development was strongly connected with agriculture, writes of the SBV. The farmers and their families spend a year to around 6.3 billion Swiss francs, which landed almost one-to-one in the local industry.
On the other hand, the agriculture produce annually to food raw materials and food to the value of around 10 billion Swiss francs.
Secure employment
The industry is secure, with around 300’000 in addition, eight percent of all jobs in Switzerland and in the country municipality of Hergiswil with Willisau more than 40 per cent, of the farmers’ Association. Agriculture and farm families are a key pillar of the local economy, the local infrastructure and of village life.
But agriculture does not generate only food, but providing also public services, writes the SBV and it is called landscape care, and the promotion of biodiversity or the revival of rural areas as examples. “Without agriculture, Switzerland would be a large area of forest”, was the Freiburg FDP national councillor and SBV-Director, Jacques Bourgeois quote.
Without a price, but with value
For the St. Gallen, CVP national councillor and farmer’s Union President Markus Ritter: “We face important policy decisions.” This particular, in how far the Swiss consumed in the future, local products, and the importance of Swiss agriculture would be in the economy of tomorrow.
It is not only the GDP and the level of food production, knight said. It is also the services would have on the market no price, but a value. “Agriculture is worth more than it seems at first glance.” (ij/sda)
Created: 03.01.2019, 13:34 PM
