Sicily faces urgent wheat crisis and water management inquiries

The Sicilian Regional Assembly faces urgent calls to address two critical agricultural and environmental issues: the durum wheat crisis and water resource management at the Ancipa Dam.

Giuseppe Catania, the Councilor for Productive Activities and Agriculture for the Municipality of Mussomeli, has requested that the regional government prioritize the durum wheat crisis in its upcoming budget variations. He highlighted a severe economic gap where production costs reach 0.31 euros per kilogram, while farmers receive only between 0.18 and 0.20 euros. Catania is calling for extraordinary interventions, including immediate compensation for affected companies, income support, and measures to reduce production costs to prevent the abandonment of cereal cultivation.

Simultaneously, regional deputy Fabio Venezia has filed an urgent parliamentary inquiry regarding the water levels and withdrawals at the Ancipa Dam. Following reports from the Movimento per la Difesa dei Territori, which suggested that approximately 570,000 cubic meters of water were transferred between September 1 and 2, Venezia is seeking official, verifiable data on current reservoir volumes. The inquiry specifically seeks clarification on the use of 4 million cubic meters of water previously authorized for irrigation purposes.