State aid of EUR 30 million to approximately 38,000 producers affected by the increase in production costs (and in particular by the increase in the cost of energy, plant protection, plant nutrition) with a consequent decrease in their income, as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and of the disruption of the supply chain announced the Ministry of Rural Development and Food.

The payment files will be forwarded this morning by OPEKEPE to the competent payment bank, in order to credit the aid amounts calculated in the accounts of the beneficiaries in the following hours and concerning:

* Territory tobacco, – mainly in P.E. Rodopis, Xanthi, Pieria, Serres

* Bees of the territory, – mainly in P.E. Heraklion, Chania, Etoloakarnania, Halkidiki, Larissa.

* Corinthian raisin, mainly in P.E. Corinth, Achaia, Ilia, Messinia

* Territory pears, mainly in P.E. Larisa, Magnesia, Pella, Imathia

* Territory asparagus, mainly in the PEs of Pella, Kavala, Evros, Xanthi and Aitoloakarnania

* Territory saffron, P.E. Kozani.

According to the MOU signed a few days ago by the Minister of Rural Development and Food, Giorgos Georgantas, the Deputy Minister of Finance, Theodoros Skylakakis and the Deputy Minister of Development and Investments, Yiannis Tsakiris, farmers who grow saffron nationwide, including organic, will receive an aid of 150 euros per hectare of cultivation.

Professional raisin producers will be supported with 50 euros per hectare of cultivation. Those active in the production of pears will be supported with 150 euros per hectare of cultivation.

The aid for asparagus was set at 200 euros per hectare, while tobacco producers who have submitted a single application for aid (EUA) for the year 2022 and maintain at least one hectare of cultivation per variety of tobacco, will receive an aid of 80 euros per hectare of cultivation.

Finally, farmers active in the production of honey throughout the territory, who are active beekeepers and maintain at least 110 occupied hives, according to the finalized data of the National Electronic Beekeeping Register for the year 2022, will receive an aid of 8 euros per occupied hive.

At the same time, as stated in the same announcement, yesterday, Thursday, OPEKEPE also paid the aid for:

* Grapes of Attica, Korinthia, Achaia, Ilia, 7.6 million euros to 6,200 producers (deminimis)

* Olive groves and the potato of the small Aegean islands of 8.1 million to 35,000 small farmers.

As reported by YPAAT, from the end of March until today, the relevant sums paid exceeded 450 million euros and concern more than 270,000 farmers throughout the country.