The government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis continues to support the primary sector in practice, exhausting every available budgetary capacity to ensure the viability of farmers and agricultural production, the Minister of Rural Development and Food, Costas Tsiaras, has been clarified during the 4 -hour meeting. Pan -Hellenic Blockers, in the presence of the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Christos Staikouras, the Deputy Minister of Environment and Energy, Alexandra Sdoukou, the Deputy Ministers of National Economy and Finance, Christos Dimas and Thanos Petralia and the Deputy Ministers of Agricultural Development and Foods.

During the four -hour meeting, important measures were confirmed that facilitated production, reduce production costs and ensure immediate and just support for Greek producers.

In particular:

– AFC in Rural Oil:

One of the key issues of the debate was the return of excise duty to agricultural oil.

A working group is set up by the Ministries of Finance and Rural Development, in collaboration with the relevant agencies and representatives of the farmers to revise indicators by cultivation.
The government is open to redefining the way of returning the EFS and to adjust the amounts of fuel provided for the actual needs of each crop.
It became clear that there is no ceiling of EUR 100 million, but the total amount of EFK will be refunded regardless of the amount, which can reach EUR 160 million depending on the invoices to be deposited.
– electric current

On the issue of rural current, the government is taking initiatives that reduce the costs for producers:

· The possibility, in cooperation with the providers, shall not be considered the account monthly to facilitate farmers in managing their finances.

· Farmers are already enjoying a low current through the GAIA invoice from € 0.093 per kilowatt, while the actual cost of kilowatt in the wholesale market is larger, while the arrears have been settled by thousands of producers with 120 installments.

· At the same time, solutions have already been launched with photovoltaics programs in the field and APOLLON, through the possibility of developing RES projects for energy offsetting farmers and GEV/ TOEB, ensuring even cheaper electricity for primary production.

– Compensation for losses of over 30% – crop support affected

The government is immediately proceeding with the activation of resources from the Rural Development Program (RDP) for the compensation of producers who suffered losses of more than 30%.

· Crops that meet the criteria will be recorded in a list sent to the EU for approval to activate the compensation procedure as soon as possible.

· Support will only concern crops that can substantiate balance loss.

-Stocking livestock -replacement of animal capital

For the affected farmers from the plague and smallpox, in addition to the high compensation for the animals that have been killed, the free replacement of animal capital is also launched through the activation of measure corresponding to Measure 5.2.

– Cotton – Connecting to reinforcement & sustainable cultivation

Support of cotton producers is reinforced with a special provision for € 31.7 per acre in the context of trying to reduce the carbon footprint as well as by reducing the ceiling to join the affiliated aid status

Concluding the meeting, the Minister of Rural Development and Food emphasized that the government remains steadily on the side of farmers, looking for solutions that boost the primary sector, reduce production costs and ensure a viable agricultural future.

Infrastructure projects to support the primary sector

Earlier, Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Christos Staikouras emphasized that in support of the primary sector, the Ministry was implementing the following projects:

• ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ – At the same time, it has auctioned and implemented studies of a total budget of € 50 million to mature new irrigation projects.

• I implement the irrigation projects received from the Ministry of Rural Development in July 2023, with a total budget of € 700 million.

• It has undertaken the implementation of road infrastructure rehabilitation projects in central Greece, with a total budget of 900 million €.

The meeting was also attended by the General Secretaries of the Ministry of Rural Development and Food, George Stratakos, Dimitris Papayannidis and Kostas Baginetas as well as OPEKEPE Presidents, Nikos Salatas, ELGA, Andreas Lykoure

After the meeting was completed, the Minister of Rural Development and Food said: As you know, a long meeting with farmers’ representatives, who have been in the blocks for a long time, preceded a long meeting. It is a steady choice by the New Democracy government and Kyriakos Mitsotakis to support the rural, productive world of our country. Through policies that give us the opportunity, not only to confirm the support of a sector that contributes great to nutritional adequacy, but also to social cohesion, but mainly through policies that truly enable the resistance to the primary sector. . We are always and firmly next to the farmers. We are always and firmly in this difficult time, thereby giving the opportunity and the opportunity to see themselves that the government by every possible means can really stand for them and their families.