In November, fruit growers apply for aid for winter spraying

From 13 November to 27 November 2023, agricultural producers may apply for support under the scheme “Aid for compensating the costs of agricultural producers related to the implementation of measures under the National Programme for the Control of Pests in Permanent Crops during the Winter Period”.

The budget of the state aid for 2023 is BGN 8,000,000. Its purpose is to minimise as far as possible the losses of agricultural producers caused by the spread of pests in permanent crops (pome and stone fruit species, strawberries, raspberries and oil-bearing rose).

We remind that the aid is granted in two stages – spring and autumn. The funds currently being granted for the second stage cover part of the costs incurred by fruit growers for plant protection products used in autumn. They are applied during the period of mass leaf fall and leaf decay. Under this stage, producers receive up to BGN 140 per hectare including VAT for purchased products for pest control. The amount of aid for this stage was determined after re-notification and receipt of the final aid number in the State Aid Register of the European Commission (16.10.2023) until 31.12.2029 (pursuant to Article 64 of Regulation (EU) 2022/2472).

The funds are paid only for plant protection products purchased from persons who are traders within the meaning of the Commerce Act and hold a certificate for trading in plant protection products on the basis of Article 91, paragraph 1 of the Plant Protection Act and are entered in the public register of the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA), on the basis of Article 6, paragraph 1, item 4 of the Plant Protection Act.

Pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2022/2472, for the implementation of aid for compensating the costs of preventing, controlling and eradicating pests in plants, a stimulating effect is not required; therefore, costs for plant protection products used for the control and limitation of the spread of pests in permanent crops, in accordance with the Programme, and incurred during the current year are accepted.

Applications for aid are accepted at the regional directorates of the State Fund Agriculture. Producers must account for the costs incurred and submit documents for the purchased and applied plant protection products when submitting the applications or no later than 27 November 2023. For the autumn application round, the State Fund “Agriculture” will not recognise expenses incurred with invoices that have already been submitted when reporting under the first spring application round.

By 20 December, the State Fund “Agriculture” will pay the financial aid under the scheme.

The Guidelines for the implementation of the state aid are published on the website of the State Fund Agriculture.