“Whoever is against it, is against development of Portugal”
Portugal’s Confederation of Farmers (CAP) has stepped into the ‘immigration debate’, stressing that without it the country cannot develop.
Talking to Lusa, CAP president Álvaro Mendonça e Moura said: “It’s very important that we all realise that whoever is against immigration is against the country’s development. This needs to be internalised.”
The former ambassador, who took over the presidency of CAP last year, highlighted the importance of foreign workers for both agriculture, tourism and construction – suggesting these sectors “depend on this labour force for their survival”.
In the case of agriculture, he pointed out that some companies have as many as 300 immigrant workers – a number that “would be impossible to recruit in Portugal”.
Acknowledging there must be control so that people are hired “in good and due form”, with labour contracts, Mendonça e Moura stressed it was CAP that proposed measures to make it easier for migrant workers to be given housing in agricultural companies.
“It was CAP’s proposal, not the unions’ (…). We want foreign workers, but foreign workers who are properly integrated, with decent living conditions and respect for their rights.”
The leader of the farmers’ confederation called for populism to be avoided, particularly the idea that Portugal could do without immigrant workers, which is “nonsense with very serious economic implications“.
Mendonça e Moura also noted that any government “should be obliged to enter statutory tripartite talks with employers and unions” (the so-called “Social Dialogue”) and discuss the issue with its partners, recalling the agreement to boost incomes, signed in October 2023.
Through this agreement it was decided to “significantly strengthen” the first pillar (direct payments) of the Common Agricultural Policy (PAC), so that the sector is closer to the “organisational parameters” of Spain and France.
“This has never been done before and it’s very important for us. It is yet to be implemented and that’s why I say that, whatever the government (…), it is essential to respect what has been agreed in talks with employers and unions”.
In this sense, Álvaro Mendonça e Moura considers the Social Dialogue should always be an important forum for employers’ confederations, trade unions and the government to listen to each other and understand each other’s priorities and concerns.
Source material: LUSA
