Although the Algarve region (Faro district) continues to be in a drought, the PSD/CDS-PP Government eased the restrictions that the previous PS executive had imposed in February to deal with water shortages, after the heavy rains in autumn and winter, reserves increased, and breeders interviewed by Lusa say they now have greater availability of water and food in the fields.

Nuno Coelho is a producer of Algarvian goats in the municipality of Alcoutim and gave the example of feed and straw - “they fell to almost half” the price that was charged when the scarcity of pastures, due to the lack of rain, led to a rise in the food for animals.

“This winter has been a little kinder and therefore brought a little more food abundance. Things have improved substantially”, said Nuno Coelho, who had 120 Algarvian breed goats, had to reduce the herd to 30 and start supplementing it with sheep to balance the accounts, because the goat is priced at 40 euros and the lamb reaches 120 euros.

The winter, he recalled, was “more regular and therefore it rained more”. The supply of water to the soil had consequences for the growth of pastures, bringing “more abundance of food for the animals”.

Nuno Luís, with a herd of 300 goats in Castro Marim, also recognised that this “has been a normal year” and that the rain that fell allowed for “a good year of crops”, removing, for now, the scenario of lack of water that the sector was struggling with, for example, a year ago.

“We are in the summer part, of course, the water is disappearing more, but it is not said that we are running out of water now at this time. And even pastures, this year are good”, he assured, highlighting that “rations have dropped” and producers “spend much less”, because they have “more pasture on the side” and do not need to buy so much feed or straw.

Despite continuing to be a low-yield activity, both producers look to the future with greater optimism.