AM: diverse calls for tenders help farmers

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Zsolt Feldman considers every step taken by farmers that contributes to the adaptation of their own farms to the changed climatic conditions to be of particular importance, whether it is changing soil cultivation practices in order to better maintain soil moisture, creating forest belts for a better microclimate, or developing irrigation. The start of this year’s farming year is not easy either, as according to agro-meteorological data, the vast majority of the country’s territory has an average water deficit of 40-60 mm only in the upper 100 cm of the soil.

The government is also helping producers in this area, and the supporting support schemes and resources are available to farmers

Out of the total budget of almost 2,900 billion forints of the Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan II. pillar, 2,300 billion forints are national co-financing and 600 billion forints are EU funds – the announcement states. By mid-February, 32 calls for proposals had been published from the rural development framework, worth a total of 1,260 billion forints. This year, 40 calls for proposals are expected to be announced, which are diverse: from a scheme to support the precision transition of agricultural farms, through the development of agro-forestry systems, to the development of crop drying and cleaning capacities of arable crop growers. The tender scheme to support young farmers will arrive in 2025 with a budget of 79 billion forints. In addition, the supporting decisions that 20 thousand farmers are waiting for in the Agri-Environmental Management Program will be made at the end of April-beginning of May – the state secretary informed, according to the statement. In his presentation, he explained that there was a significant over-application for the investment tender schemes that have been closed so far and are now under review, with businesses submitting a request for support that was nearly four times higher than the announced budget amounts. There was a huge development need, especially in the areas of animal husbandry and food processing – they wrote. Zsolt Feldman also said that the intensity of agricultural investment subsidies is usually 50 percent, while the remaining part typically has to be financed from self-funding, a typical form of which is borrowing. Farmers who have received investment support will have the opportunity to request interest subsidies and guarantee fee subsidies for their related loans up to a maximum of 10 percent of the total investment cost. This can provide significant assistance for the implementation of development projects, they added.

MTI