What farmers apply for at the beginning of the year

At the beginning of the new year, we draw the attention of agricultural producers to the most important deadlines for submitting documents in January and February. The publication of the indicative schedule for the remaining payments under Campaign 2024 by the end of June is forthcoming.

Documents under two eco-schemes

By 10 January, applicants under the eco-scheme “Preservation and Restoration of Soil Potential” (Eco-PRSP) and under the eco-scheme “Reducing the Use of Pesticides” (Eco-RUP) have the opportunity to submit and finalise the “Declaration of Supporting Documents” in the Electronic Services System (ESS).

The environmental practices applied on the holding for inclusion in the eco-scheme Eco-PRSP are as follows:

1. Cultivation of non-productive catch crops or cover crops with subsequent green manuring;

2. Use of external organic soil improvers, in accordance with a nutrient management plan drawn up by a person holding a qualification in the field of agriculture.

Proof of marketing of fruit and vegetables

By 31 January 2025, applicants for coupled support for fruit and vegetables under Campaign 2024 shall submit their completed electronic inventories to the regional directorates of the State Fund “Agriculture” (SFA). The templates of the electronic spreadsheets and the calculator are published in the respective sections of the interventions on the Fund’s website.

Applicants for support for fruit and vegetables must prove the marketing of the yields obtained from the declared areas in the period 01.02.2024 – 31.01.2025.

New for Campaign 2024 is the completion of an electronic inventory, using a standard template, of the documents, certificates, official labels and packaging for the certified and/or standard seeds and/or planting material used, which must be printed out and certified by an agronomist. A copy of the diploma of the agronomist who made the certification shall be attached to the inventory.

Call for young farmers

Until 27 January 2025, applications for support for young farmers are being accepted, with a budget of over BGN 176 million. The support for one applicant is BGN 78,000.

Eligible are young people aged between 18 and 40 with already existing holdings. They must be registered as farmers under the Law on Support to Agricultural Producers no later than 24 months before the date of submission of the application for support.

By implementing their business plan, they must ensure the commissioning on the holding of an investment in tangible fixed assets – machinery – facilities, equipment, construction and installation works or purchase of agricultural land, which must be related to their activity.

All application documents are prepared free of charge by the National Agricultural Advisory Service (NAAS).

Call for small farmers

Until 6 February 2025, applications are accepted for project proposals under the intervention “Support for Very Small Agricultural Holdings”. The non-repayable financial aid for one applicant is no more than the BGN equivalent of EUR 20,000, with the payment of the aid to be made in two stages.

The support in the amount of BGN 58.6 million is aimed at modernising and technologically upgrading farms.

Eligible applicants under the intervention must be registered farmers with already existing holdings, as well as cooperatives registered under the Law on Cooperatives.

Applicants under the intervention will also be able to benefit from the free preparation of application documents by experts of the National Agricultural Advisory Service.