On 30 January 2022, Portugal is running the elections for a new Prime Minister. One of the parties on the run proposes the change of Article 4 of Decree-Law n.º 77/2015, of 12 May, which prohibits pine cone harvesting between 1 April and 1 December. In the chapter dedicated to the forest, the party's program mentions the commitment to “potentiating the dynamism of the forest economy” and therefore proposes abolishing this imposition that is in place to safeguard the maturation of the pine cone at the time of its harvest. Meanwhile, according to the Liberal´s point of view, it is not appropriate for the State to defend this issue since the processing industry itself demands quality, and both producers and pickers sought to satisfy it, managing the harvest season that best meets them.
It's undoubtedly an issue that divides the opinions, and Tridge will pursue interviews with different players in the market to bring a holistic overview regarding this matter.