More than 60 million
In the framework of the financial support to farmers for the five-year period 2023-2027, which amounts to more than €300 million, the period for submitting applications for extensification payments included in the CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027 started on 20 March and will last until 10 April.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment and the Cyprus Rural Payments Agency, proceeded with the call for Direct Payments and Rural Development Interventions (Extensive Subsidies), with the aim to pay the €60 million aid to farmers by next December.
Breathing space for the agricultural sectors
The Direct Support Measures include important actions, which in recent years have provided breathing space for the agricultural sectors.
Such as, for example, the 'Basic income support for sustainability' in the form of decoupled aid, which is the main instrument for supporting agricultural income, with the level of support being common throughout the territory of the Republic of Cyprus over which effective control is exercised by the State. The total budget for the five-year period is EUR 155.2 million and beneficiaries are holders of agricultural land of more than 3 decares. The amount of the aid is approximately EUR 23,27 per hectare.
Other important Interventions:
- "Coupled aid for citrus trees in the dead zone" with a five-year budget of EUR 1,1 million. Beneficiaries are the holders of citrus trees in areas affected by the buffer zone with a minimum area of 3 decares. The amount of the aid is EUR 56,4 per hectare.
- "Additional support for young people" which concerns additional support for sustainability, in the form of a decoupled payment, aimed at providing additional support for the agricultural income of young farmers. The amount of the aid is EUR 8,5 per decimal point.
- 'Complementary redistributive income support' aimed at providing adequate support for small and medium-sized agricultural holdings. Beneficiaries are holders of agricultural holdings of more than 3 deciles. The amount of the aid is EUR 2,87 per decimal point.
- 'Targeted agri-environmental measures in the potato and citrus fruit sector' for which the beneficiaries are holders of agricultural holdings with an area of more than 3 decares. The amount of aid for potatoes is EUR 35 per hectare and for citrus fruit EUR 51 per hectare.
- "Organic farming" with a five-year budget of 21,9 million euro. Through this intervention, financial support is paid to farmers, stockbreeders and beekeepers who undertake on a voluntary basis to switch to organic farming practices and methods.
- "Support for areas facing natural or other handicaps" to compensate for the economic losses and additional costs incurred in carrying out agricultural activity in these areas, with a budget of EUR 26,5 million over five years.
Ecological Programmes now also play their role in the CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027, with a five-year budget of around €55 million. The Ecological Interventions include actions related to banana crops, in particular the removal of trees from the previous year's plantation, the removal by pruning of old leaves and the proper keeping of farmer's records. Also included is the action for the shredding of prunings and application of plant residues, and for the first time an intervention relating to the use of compost has been included with a five-year budget of around EUR 6.6 million. In addition, the Ecological Programmes also include the Action related to the "Application of friendly agricultural practices in carob cultivation", as well as actions to reduce the pollution of soils and water by chemical pesticides.
Submission of the application
The Single Application for Extensive Grants is submitted electronically through the Electronic Application Submission System (EAS System), located at www.eas.capo.gov.cy, using the personal passwords. Application submission is valid from 20 March 2023 until 10 April 2023 (until 5 May 2023 with penalty).
(NΓ/ΣΧ)
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