Portugal is historically dependent on imported grain, but today it has one of the lowest levels of self-sufficiency in the world (around 25%), which is a disturbing singularity. In the European Union, only Cyprus, Malta and the Netherlands have lower values.

The surface cultivated with cereals, which occupied about 900 thousand hectares, approximately 10% of the national territory, at the end of the 1980s, has been gradually decreasing, most of it converted into pastures. In 2017, the area cultivated with cereals was 260 thousand hectares.

Production also declined, albeit less sharply: from 1.65 million tons in the 1980s to 1.1 million tons in 2017. The technological innovation introduced by farmers allowed to multiply by 2.5 million tons. average productivity of cereal crops, which is a remarkable framework.

The cereals sector, which represents more than 10% of food imports and more than 30% of agricultural imports, should contribute to the balance of the agricultural trade balance, which the Government intends to achieve in the horizon of two legislatures . The commitment in the cereals sector will also allow the fight against the abandonment and depopulation of rural areas, the better ordering of the territory and a more adequate environmental management.

Upon learning of this reality, in good time, the Government decided to set up the Cereal Working Group, with the mission of proposing a National Strategy for the promotion of cereal production. This strategy integrates a set of 20 priority actions and concrete actions for the next 5 years, which will contribute to a stronger and more efficient sector, with greater capacity to resist the volatility of the markets, offering consumers a product of high quality.

On the other hand, with the implementation of this Strategy it is objective to reach until 2022 a degree of self-supply in cereals of about 38%, corresponding 80% to rice, 50% to corn and 20% to spike cereals.

This document that counted from the first hour with the participation of Anpoc, Anpromis and AOP and was coordinated by Ing. Luís Souto Barreiros, will be presented on May 15, at the INIAV - National Institute of Agricultural and Veterinary Research, in Elvas , on the occasion of the traditional Farmer's Day, in a seminar that will be attended by the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development, Luís Capoulas Santos and the Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education, Manuel Heitor. Today ends the registration period to it.