Within the next few days , EUR 15,67 million will be paid through the ELGA to over 2,100 beneficiaries , as part of the plant capital damaged by the summer fires of 2023. Specifically, as stated in the Ministry of Finance’s communication on compensation, the implementation of the framework for the support of farmers who have suffered damage to plant production means relates to the fires of July, August and September 2023 in areas of the country and especially Evros, Rhodes and Thessaly. Under the special procedure of Law 4797/2021 on State aid, providing the possibility to grant agricultural holdings for damage to plant production due to natural disaster, the granting of the advance to agricultural holdings for damage to plant production instruments, such as tree crops or vines, from the summer fires of 2023 proceeds. In particular, on Tuesday, 26 March 2024, the Joint Ministerial Decision of the Minister for National Economy and Finance, the Minister for Rural Development and Food and the Deputy Minister for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection was published (Government Gazette). B’ 1891/26.03.2024), which provides an advance of 50% of state aid to the main occupation farmers and non-professional farmers who suffered losses in plant production instruments, such as olive trees or vines, from the fires of July, August and September 2023 in affected areas of the country. Through the State aid procedure, the total advances paid to 905 professional farmers for damage to olive trees and other tree crops amount to EUR 10.42 million and relate to tree crops (olive trees and other trees), vines and aromatic plants. In addition, the total advances to be paid to 1,204 non-professional farmers for damage to olive trees and other tree crops amount to EUR 5,25 million. A total of EUR 15,67 million is to be paid through ELGA to over 2,100 beneficiaries whose plant capital was damaged by the summer fires of 2023 . In particular, the following amounts are to be paid by region: (a) EUR 261,109 to beneficiaries of the Region of Attica, (b) EUR 286,405 to beneficiaries of the Regional Unit of Achaia, (c) EUR 1,83111 to beneficiaries of the Regional Unit of Boeotia, (d) EUR 7,383,468 to beneficiaries of the Regional Unit of Evros, (e) EUR 294,613 to beneficiaries of the Regional Unit of Magnesia and Sporades, (g) EUR 99,041 to beneficiaries of the Regional Unit of Corfu, (h) EUR 2,438 to beneficiaries of the Regional Unit of Corinthia, (i) EUR 3,068,100 to beneficiaries of the Regional Unit of the Regional Unit of Macedonia and Sporades, (i) EUR 394.109 to beneficiaries of the Regional Unit of Rhodes. It is noted that the advance is equal to 50% of the final grant entitled rate , which has been set at a maximum of 70% of the final estimate of the damage, i.e. as much as the grant rate paid to affected enterprises by the fires of last summer in the context of state aid. Especially for non-professional farmers the advance is half the advance paid by professional farmers. Thus, with the special procedure established in the context of state aid, with the cooperation of the Ministry of National Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Rural Development and Food, the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, and, of course, the ELGA, the Government proceeds to provide a significant advance on the losses of tree crops, including olive cultivation, in times and heights that are far from what has happened in the past. Thus, for the main professional farmers, the amount of the advance to be granted within the next few days amounts to EUR 1,225 per acre for vines and tree crops in a free planting scheme, EUR 1,750 per acre for densely planted tree crops (palmets) and EUR 700 per acre for aromatic plants. According to the current procedure, the grant relates to 70% of the initially estimated loss, which translates – upon completion of the process – up to EUR 3,500 per acre for dense planting (palmets) tree crops destroyed by the fire, depending on the severity of the damage. The Government, therefore, manages to meet the needs of farmers in times of sub-multiples than it did before taking over, and with amounts of compensation multiple of those granted during the previous period. It should be noted that when the process of individualized controls by the ELGA steps are completed on those farms, the final amounts of grant to farms will be determined for both the main occupation farmers and non-professional farmers, which will be launched after the restoration, as provided for in the next CAP. Finally, on the start of the implementation of the support framework for agricultural holdings for damage to vegetable means of production from the fires of July, August and September 2023, the Minister of Rural Development and Food, Mr.Lewteris Avgenakis and the State Secretary for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, Mr. Christos Triantopoulos stated the following.
Farmers: ‘Green light’ for the 50% advance of compensation for the 2023 fires
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