Increased budget for winter spraying

The budget for winter spraying has been increased by BGN 120,000.

The scheme „Aid for compensating the costs of farmers related to the implementation of measures under the National Programme for the Control of Pests in Permanent Crops during the Winter Period” aims to minimise the losses of farmers resulting from the spread of pests in permanent crops (pome and stone fruit species, strawberries, raspberries and oil-bearing rose). The aid was paid to 2,460 fruit growers.

The Managing Board of the State Fund „Agriculture“ - PA (SFA) has increased the budget under the state aid scheme “Aid for compensating the costs of farmers related to the implementation of measures under the National Programme for the Control of Pests in Permanent Crops during the Winter Period” from BGN 6,000,000 to BGN 6,120,000.

The approved budget under the scheme for the current 2021 was set at BGN 6 million and is provided in two stages.

During the application period for the aid, which took place from 11 to 29 October, 2,603 fruit and vegetable growers submitted documents for targeted support. The financial support is provided for the purchase of plant protection products used in the autumn during the period of mass leaf fall and leaf decay. The scheme aims to minimise the losses of farmers resulting from the spread of pests in permanent crops (pome and stone fruit species, strawberries, raspberries and oil-bearing rose).

The total area declared by the farmers amounts to 17,295 hectares. The financial support is up to BGN 100 per hectare, VAT included.

The remaining financial resource to be allocated for this second stage amounts to BGN 1,287,465. After summarising the information, the additional resource required for the payment of funds under the second stage of the aid, without applying a reduction coefficient, amounts to BGN 120,000.

The aid will be paid to the farmers by 10 December this year.

The funds for the first stage were disbursed in the spring. They covered the costs incurred by farmers for plant protection activities in permanent crops in the period after the end of the frosts up to the swelling of the fruit buds. At that time, 3,479 producers growing permanent fruit crops, oil-bearing rose, strawberries and raspberries received BGN 4.7 million (BGN 4,712,534).