The measures are aimed at fruit and vegetable, agricultural and dairy producers, informed the Uruguayan Minister of Industry, Energy and Mining, Omar Paganini, at the inauguration of the stand of that portfolio at Expoactiva 2023, March 16.
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The benefits will apply to establishments that implement energy efficiency actions or those who have installed solar water pumps on their properties.
“We are reinforcing a government commitment to all the country's agro-industrial chains,” said Paganini, accompanied by the national director of Energy, Fitzgerald Cantero.
Thus, the MIEM will apply two support measures for the producers most affected by the water deficit, both those in charge of dairy farms and those in charge of horticulture and agriculture.
With an investment of 9,000,000 pesos ($226,000), through the first instrument, an economic reimbursement will be granted to agricultural producers who develop energy efficiency measures in their establishments.
The refund will be up to 45,000 pesos ($1,133) per applicant, with a cap of 90% of the investment. The call will remain open until December 15, 2023 or until the available places are exhausted.
The second program consists of a benefit for all agricultural producers who have purchased and installed solar water pumps on their properties since the declaration of the agricultural emergency.
The tool may be requested until December 28, 2023 or until the established assignments are completed. The refund will be 25,000 pesos per applicant, for a maximum of 150 agricultural producers.
For this program, the MIEM will allocate 3,750,000 pesos.
The National Administration of Electric Power Plants and Transmissions (UTE), meanwhile, will apply a monthly discount on the total cost of electricity to those producers that carry out energy efficiency actions, Cantero added.
In addition, the National Energy Directorate (DNE) presented two manuals of good practices in energy efficiency aimed at the dairy sector and the fruit and vegetable sector. “Being able to use less energy to achieve better results is the future and it is where we have to go”, Paganini expressed in this regard.
Expoactiva is an annual meeting organized by the Rural Association of Soriano, which in this edition brought together, until March 18, about 350 exhibitors of various nationalities. ■