Members of the Federal National Council called on the “Union for Electricity and Water” to provide radical and urgent solutions to the high electricity and water bills on citizens’ farms, explaining that the high electricity and water bills lead to citizens abandoning their farms. They stressed the need to encourage local farmers to continue farming to support the local market with local products in order to preserve food security.
While farmers confirmed that the high electricity and water bills increase the market cost of their products, which prompted some of them to abandon their farms as a result of the losses they suffer, explaining that the rise in electricity and water prices at the beginning of this year caused them financial losses, and they became unable to produce agricultural products at reasonable prices and in a timely manner. The same covers the cost of agriculture.
In detail, a member of the Federal National Council, Saeed Rashid Al-Abedi, told «Emirates Today» that he had sent questions to the relevant ministries related to knowing the reasons that led to the high electricity and water bills for citizen farmers, without receiving any response from them so far, pointing out that farmers They suffer from high bills, and their inability to continue farming in light of the increasing cost.
He explained that he had received complaints from farmers about high electricity and water bills, which leads to abandoning their farms in the event of continued financial losses and the failure of the concerned authorities to support them so that they can continue their work.
For her part, a member of the Federal National Council, Sabreen Hassan Al-Yamahi, called for the support of citizens who own productive farms, especially since most of them are low-income, retired or senior citizens, by connecting desalinated water networks to farms in the eastern region at nominal prices, and reducing electricity tariffs for them to maintain Agriculture profession.
She pointed out that a large number of farms in the eastern region, whose owners suffer from not being supplied with desalinated water by connecting their farms to water desalination networks, and they are charged with the new electricity tariff, which made them unable to continue agricultural production and supply markets with sufficient quantities of vegetables and fruits, stressing that the local production of Vegetables and fruits had a clear and obvious role during the “Corona” pandemic, as the country’s markets did not complain of a shortage of agricultural products thanks to these farmers who were supplying the markets with different types of vegetables and fruits daily without interruption.
Al-Yamahi stated that farmers in the eastern region tried to find optimal ways to avoid high electricity tariffs by following traditional methods by replacing electricity with diesel, and this method is no longer feasible with the high prices of diesel, pointing out that the challenges faced by farmers are limited support from the responsible authorities and high The electricity tariff, which doubled the value of their electricity and water bills, which led to them giving up the production of certain types of vegetables that require large amounts of water, and this was reflected in their profits, which diminished and are almost non-existent in some farms.
While a member of the Federal National Council, Ahmed Abdullah Al-Shehhi, said that the council discussed the high electricity and water bills on citizens’ farms during the past sessions with the relevant authorities and ministries, and many questions were asked in this regard, and members demanded the need to support farmers in various fields as they are one of the most important pillars of security. food in the country.
He explained that citizen farmers were the largest supporter of the state during the Corona pandemic, and they cultivated many of the most consumed products, and contributed to supporting the state’s markets and providing all different vegetables and fruits, so it is necessary to increase support for farmers and reduce the electricity and water segment in their farms to encourage them to continue in the agricultural profession and develop it and not He abandoned her, as happened with some of them at the present time.
In addition, the farmer, Abdullah Al-Mazrouei, stated, in a video he posted on social media platforms, that he decided to cut off the water from his farm, because he could not continue farming due to the high electricity bills since the beginning of this year, and the high prices of agricultural materials, adding that he goes with a basket of fruits to the market to be sold. At 20 dirhams, although it cost many times that amount.
He explained that he grows lemons, mangoes, and palm trees, but the high electricity prices and limited subsidies made him abandon his farm and cut off the water from it to reduce losses, adding that the citizen farmer needs support and encouragement to stay in the agricultural profession.
For her part, a citizen farmer from the Bidiyah region in Fujairah, Maryam Ali, said that the problem she faced after the electricity tariff hike extended on a wider scale than she had imagined, so that she decided to sell livestock because she was unable to grow the grass that feeds on her, pointing out that she suffers from high The cost of the monthly bills, which was previously 300 dirhams, and after the increase in the electricity tariff, it became 2000 dirhams, which made her unable to continue working.
She added that she had to reduce crops such as leafy vegetables and weeds by 80%, and suffice with perennial trees that do not need large amounts of water, but this solution affected the profits she had previously obtained and relied on as an additional source of income.
She indicated that she used to get an annual income by selling agricultural products, and with the high costs on them, the income became almost non-existent, stressing that she does not get support from the responsible authorities despite the high seed prices and the increase in the cost of the water desalination devices that she uses until her farm is connected to a network. desalinated water, pointing to the tendency of a large number of farmers to dispense with agriculture, and to lease it for commercial activities far from agriculture.
This opinion was supported by the citizen farmer, Sultan Al-Shehhi, saying that the farmers of the northern regions need a quick solution to the problem of high electricity bills, which prompted a large number of simple farm owners to stop agriculture and cut off electricity and water from their farms until solutions are found that contribute to their ability to continue agriculture and supply the markets with local products.
He explained that the high electricity tariff made the monthly bills reach 7,000 dirhams for large farms, 4,000 dirhams for medium farms, and 2,000 dirhams for small ones, which prompted many farmers to abandon their profession and source of income, calling for quick solutions to return to their profession again.
For its part, “Emirates Today” tried to contact the “Union for Electricity and Water” regarding obtaining a response about farmers’ complaints about high electricity and water bills, to no avail.
• The NBK discussed the rise in electricity and water bills on citizens’ farms during the past sessions with the relevant authorities and ministries.
Developing the agricultural profession
A member of the Federal National Council, Ahmed Abdullah Al-Shehhi, said that he had received many complaints and observations from citizen farmers related to high electricity and water bills, and their inability to pay them as a result of their inability to sell their crops in the markets at appropriate prices, and they should be supported by providing seedlings, fertilizers and necessary tools. To develop the agricultural profession.
He pointed out that the competent authorities should support citizens’ orientation to invest in the agricultural field, and agricultural supervision from the competent authorities in order to develop the quality of their agricultural products, as some farmers sell products at losses without making profits that cover the cost of agriculture that they incur.
productive farms
A member of the Federal National Council, Sabreen Hassan Al-Yamahi, confirmed that the demand to reduce the electricity tariff for simple farmers does not include productive farms that grow large quantities and supply their production to factories and others, as it is difficult to equalize them, stressing that the subsidy must be regulated and thoughtful, and contribute to a solution The problem of farm owners who started to abandon their farms because of the financial difficulties they face.
Farmers support
A member of the Federal National Council, Saeed Rashid Al-Abedi, stated that the “Union for Electricity and Water” should work to find quick and urgent solutions to support farmers and enable them to remain on their farms as one of the most important elements of food security for the state.
He explained that supporting farmers contributes to preserving local farms and pumping markets with local agricultural products instead of relying on imports.
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