Requests for agriculture subsidies drop in 2015

Romanian farmers have consigned over 821,000 requests for agriculture subsidies, totalling 8.4 million hectares, until June 15, which is the maximum allowed term to transmit requests with no penalty.

The Agency for Payments and Intervention in Agriculture shows that there has been a drop in the number of demands as compared to the same period of last year, when there were 980,000 applications for a total surface of 9.5 million hectares.

According to the agency’s director, Mihai Putintei, the lack of concession contracts for pastures from local councils and eliminating support for fallow land, fishing destinations or areas proximal to military units are just some of the reasons for which the number of requests is lower than during last year. Farmers holding small plots which fall within the category of family gardens are no longer eligible. Also, terrains which have been subsidized as fallow lands last year will not be accepted as fallow lands this year. Farmers holding pastures but no animals are just starting to apply for subventions, as legislative changes have only recently been approved.

“In 2014 we had an average of about 9.66 hectares per farmer, and at this moment the average is of 10.21 hectares, which shows that on average, small farmers have not applied for support in such a large number as the previous year,” said Mihai Putintei.

Additional to the applications mentioned above will be the ones requested previously but not finalized, and requests for animal subsidies. Starting this year, a single payment application will be deposited for both the farming and animal sectors. The campaign for single payment applications is the first of a series of changes brought on by the new 2014-2020 Common Agriculture Policy (CAP), applicable to all European member states.

According to EU regulation no. 1307/2013, starting with 2015 payment schemes will include – in addition to the single payment scheme – a redistributive payment, a payment for agricultural practices which benefit the climate and the environment, a payment for young farmers, a coupled support scheme and a simplified scheme for small farmers.

Natalia Martian