State aid for the production of seeds and planting material

The Management Board of the State Fund „Agriculture“ (MB of SFA) has approved a budget of BGN 1.2 million for 2023 for financing the state aid „Aid for participation of farmers in a Quality Scheme for the production of seeds and planting material“.

Until the entry into force of the new state aid schemes, in accordance with the state aid legislation for the period 2023-2029, it is envisaged that the currently applicable scheme will be implemented until 30.06.2023.

The purpose of the aid is to encourage the production and use of certified (quality) seeds for cereal, fodder and oilseed crops, potatoes, tobacco, cotton, certified and CAC planting material from fruit crops, certified and standard vine planting material, and certified and standard seeds of vegetable crops.

The aid is targeted at small and medium-sized enterprises in crop production that have received authorization for the production of seed and planting material under Article 28 of the Seed and Planting Material Act, through the provision of subsidized services by the Executive Agency for Variety Testing, Approbation and Seed Control (EAVTASC).

The state aid covers up to 100% of the certification costs by EAVTASC for the high-quality seeds and planting material produced by farmers.

The annual resources utilized under the scheme are as follows: in 2015 - BGN 1,350,000; in 2016 - BGN 1,292,043; in 2017 - BGN 1,191,574; in 2018 - BGN 1,100,609; in 2019 - BGN 1,098,210; in 2020 - BGN 1,152,670; in 2021 - BGN 1,121,069; in 2022 - BGN 1,150,081. The total resources utilized for the period 2015-2022 amount to BGN 9,456,255. The remaining balance of the notified maximum resources under the aid amounts to BGN 218,260.

The Fund „Agriculture“, together with the Ministry of Agriculture, will prepare guidelines for the provision of the aid.