The Government of Aragon has increased by 1.2 million the direct aid line for farmers and stockbreeders severely affected by the drought, adding up to a total of final amount of 8.2 million which will reach 6,630 beneficiaries. As already established in the Royal Decree-Law that regulates this subsidy, the following subsidies have been maintained 19 counties and 304 municipalities divided into two zones of affection (maximum and severe), as well as the ranges per hectare and livestock farm. As for the payment, after this adjustment and its corresponding processing, it will be delayed until mid-December.
The extension means an increase in the two lines that contemplate these aids. In Agriculture it has increased by some 800,000 euros to go from 5.8 million to something more than 6.6 million and in livestock, the initial amount of 1.2 million has been increased by approximately 300,000 euros to reach the figure of approximately 1.5 million euros. Thus, agriculture accounts for 82% of of the economic amount of aid, while 18% goes to livestock farming.
By distribution, 3.7 million will be allocated to the Maximum Affection Zone (1), while 4.5 million will be allocated to the Severe Affection Zone (2), due to the orography and the specific characteristics of crops and livestock in each area. As an estimate, the counties that will receive most of the aid are the following Community of Teruel, Jiloca, Campo de Daroca and Campo de Belchite.
AN AMOUNT THAT HAS BEEN INCREASED BY 36% FROM THE INITIAL FIGURE.
The Councilor for Agriculture, Livestock and Food, Javier Rincón, explained that “with this extension it is possible to cover the total number of beneficiarieswithout having to resort to prorating. “We are going to reach everyone, with 100% of the amounts established at the time,” he remarked. It is foreseen that the list with all the beneficiaries will be published in the Official Gazette of Aragon (BOA) in the coming weeks.
Due to the urgency for the payment of these aids so that they may to enter the period of exceptionality Ukraine war, which ends on December 31, all indications are that this amount will be the final one after having been increased on two occasions. At the time of the announcement, the previous Board Member, Ángel Samper, put them at 6 million, while in October, after the arrival of Javier Rincón, they were increased to the 7 million contemplated in the Decree-Law and finally reached 8.2 million with this latest increase, 36% more than the initial figure.
THE KEYS TO DIRECT AID
The recipients of these aids, in the agriculture line, will be able to 20 to 30 euros per hectare. depending on the area affected up to a maximum of 5,000 euros and there is a bonus for young farmers 40 to 50 euros/hectare. In the case of livestock farming, the following will be received 25 euros per livestock unit greater up to a total of €2,500.
In addition, they are complementary aidsThe following are the two types of aid available to a farmer with both agricultural and livestock holdings compatible with other types of aid (state or European). However, the beneficiaries must have been CAP recipients in 2023 or the Beekeeping Sectoral Intervention.
By zones, in twelve counties, all farms will benefit.Ribera Baja del Ebro, Campo de Cariñena, Campo de Belchite, Bajo Martín, Jiloca, Cuencas Mineras, Andorra-Sierra de Arcos, Bajo Aragón, Comunidad de Teruel, Maestrazgo, Gúdar-Javalambre and Matarraña.