Lisbon, Feb. 2, 2026 (Lusa) - The Confederation of Portuguese Farmers (CAP) on Monday considered the support announced by the Government to mitigate the effects of Storm Kristin to be "positive", but noted that it is necessary to know the details and that it must be implemented quickly.
"Announcements like this are always positive. Now we need to know the measures in detail, we need to understand what expenses are eligible and we need to know all the other rules. And then, it is also necessary that their implementation be rapid, which is always a concern," said CAP Secretary-General Luís Mira in statements to the Lusa news agency.
Stressing that the severity of the damage caused by the storm "requires exceptional measures", the association leader said he had already launched "a challenge to the banks to put credit lines in place", to which "some banks have already responded".
"Everything that is a quick response is what people need most," he emphasised.
For the CAP leader, "it is not worth saying that it is too much or too little, until the total cost of the operations is known and what they will focus on": "For now, the announcement is good, but now its implementation is more important," he insisted.
According to Luís Mira, "the greenhouse sector suffered very heavy losses, total losses, both in the west, Leiria, and in the Odemira area, but also in dairy farms, poultry farms, crops such as olive groves and fruit trees, and in the forest, which also took a very heavy blow".
"And then everything is scattered. There are people who are not in these areas, but the cork oaks have been uprooted, their trees have fallen, they have been left without electricity. There are currently flooded areas that will remain so for some time to come, and this will cause very heavy losses, which will not be covered by the measures put in place by the Government," he added.
Pointing to "cases in the river Douro region of landslides and lands that have disappeared", the CAP secretary-general concluded that "this type of disaster, with so much persistent rain, will affect the vast majority of farmers".
"In short, there is damage in the countryside more or less everywhere," he concluded.
Also speaking to Lusa, the president of the Portuguese Trade and Services Confederation (CCP), João Vieira Lopes, said he was not yet in a position to assess whether the measures announced "are sufficient or not", as the total losses have yet to be "assessed".
Vieira Lopes said that the trade sector "has suffered a lot of damage, like everyone else," and that it is now necessary to "work with the measures" that have been launched and, further down the line, "see if they will be sufficient."
Nine people have died since last week as a result of the bad weather. Civil Protection recorded five deaths directly associated with the passage of storm Kristin, and the Marinha Grande City Council announced another fatality, to which were added three deaths recorded due to falling roofs (during repairs) and carbon monoxide poisoning from a generator.
The total or partial destruction of homes, businesses and equipment, fallen trees and structures, road and transport service disruptions, particularly railways, school closures and power, water and communication outages are the main material consequences of the storm, which has left several hundred people injured and homeless.
Leiria, Coimbra and Santarém are the districts with the most damage.
The Government has declared a state of emergency until next Sunday for 69 districts and announced a package of support measures worth up to €2.5 billion.
PD/AYLS // AYLS
Lusa
