Farmers and livestock farmers will receive 4,856 million euros in direct aid under CAP 2022

Spanish farmers and livestock farmers have submitted to the Spanish Agricultural Guarantee Fund (FEGA) a total of 648,691 single applications for aid under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) for the year 2022, after the deadline for submitting them.

These single applications include both direct aids and rural development measures, which are granted per area or per head of livestock. Direct aids involve the payment of 4,856 million euros, which will begin to be paid as from October 16.

This year, aid applications affect 22,250,998.79 hectares. In this area, the significant increase in the declaration of oilseed crops, mainly sunflower and rapeseed, which this year amounts to 1,024,543 hectares, representing an increase of almost 40% compared to the year 2021.

 

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This increase is motivated, in part, by the measures taken by the European Commission, and implemented by Spain, to alleviate the difficulties arising from the war in Ukraine. Specifically, it has been authorized that fallow land, usually used as an area of ecological interest to qualify for aid to the green payment, can be planted with crops of greater commercial interest to farmers.

Thus, the significant increase in sunflower and rapeseed prices on international markets, due to the crisis in Ukraine, has been a determining factor in the decisions taken by farmers.

More information: Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food – Press release

The EU publishes the regulatory amendment that will allow 5% of EAFRD funds to be used for direct aid to the agri-food sector.

On the other hand, the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) has published yesterday the amendment of EU Regulation No. 1305/2013 of the Council and the European Parliament, to allow the granting of exceptional direct aid, from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), for producers in the primary sector and agri-food SMEs affected by the increase in production costs resulting from the war in Ukraine.

The budget for this aid may not exceed 5% of the EAFRD budget of the Rural Development Program (RDP) for the years 2021-2022. The aid will amount to a maximum of 15,000 euros per farmer or livestock farmer and 100,000 euros for agri-food SMEs.

 

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This new aid may be programmed, on a voluntary basis, by the Managing Authorities of the current Rural Development Programs (RDP) 2014-2022, (which remain valid until 2025, according to the N+3 rule), for which it will be necessary to make an amendment to the corresponding program. The competent authority must grant this aid before March 31, 2023 and make the payment before October 15 of the same year.

This measure contributes to ensuring food security and correcting market imbalances by financing one or more of the following activities linked to agri-food production: circular economy, nutrient management, efficient use of resources and environmentally and climate-friendly production methods.

More information: Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food – Press Release