The government official was questioned by journalists about the critical situation in the Algarve regarding the lack of water, having revealed that the Drought Commission will meet next week, without, however, indicating the day.

A source from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food later revealed to Lusa that the meeting will take place on the 17th at 2:30 pm.

“Then yes, we will be able to look at everything that is being designed and thought about, that can and will pass through the restriction, as we have had for two years, for example in the Bravura dam (Lagos), where there is no little water it is no longer even useful for human supply”, said Maria do Céu Antunes.

According to the minister, remembering that in this area it was necessary to “rehabilitate some boreholes that were deactivated” to “maintain permanent crops, namely orange groves”, the contingency plans for the various agricultural uses in the Algarve “will have to be adjusted according to this new reality ”.

“And measures are being designed that could include, for example, small mobile desalination plants that can help [and] the rehabilitation of boreholes where the aquifers allow us” or even “financial compensation”, she admitted.

But, according to the Minister of Agriculture, “only” after the meeting of the Interministerial Drought Commission will the ministry be able to “say what will be on the table for agriculture in the Algarve”.

The Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) hopes to present a contingency plan this month with new rules for water consumption in the Algarve, which is going through the worst drought on record.

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