Act No. 491 re-defining the powers of the regions and the Government as regards agriculture and forestry and establishing the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry Resources.

The Act states the abolition of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and the establishment of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry Resources. Moreover, it sets out the powers of the Regions and the Ministry in matter of agriculture and forestry. The duties of the Ministry shall cover inter alia: (a) international relations; (b) definition of the national policy; (c) coordination of the procedures and collection and dissemination of information; (d) duties in matter of aquaculture and maritime fisheries previously pertaining to the Ministry of the Merchant Marine according to Acts No. 963 of 14 July 1965 and No. 41 of 17 February 1982. Other activities not relevant to the above are entrusted to the Regions. Furthermore, the Act concerns the establishment of: (a) the Committee for veterinary science and zootechnics under the Ministry of Health; (b) the permanent Committee for the processing of agriculture and forestry products. Subsequent articles concern other duties of the Ministry in coordination with the Forest Officers and the State Agency for Interventions in the Agricultural Market (AIMA).