Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis presided today at a meeting at Megaros Maximos regarding the payment of compensations and emergency aid for the country’s animal and plant production.

The compensations and extraordinary aids that will be paid to the producers of the primary sector from today, April 12, until May 10, 2023, amount to 155 million, while for an additional 30 million, a second set of compensation requests is sent to the European Commission for approval, based on the temporary state aid framework, due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Thus, the total amount of planned payments (ELGA, de minimis, temporary framework for the Ukrainian crisis) amounts to 185.8 million euros.

“I believe that during these four years the farmers and breeders felt the practical interest of the state”, the Prime Minister emphasized at the beginning of the meeting.

“Today I think is a good day for our farmers and breeders, as the payment of subsidies and compensations for crop and livestock production, across the country, begins.

The Ministries of Finance and Rural Development worked together with ELGA and were able to finally utilize every available resource. Thus, until May 10, producers of the primary sector will receive a cumulative 155 million.

Those who suffered losses in 2022 will immediately receive the 80 million. An additional 8.3 million will be received by producers who were affected by the fires in Lesbos, Rethymno and Phocis.

Compensation will also be given to those who had fire disasters in the last two years, but were not detected by the satellite systems. Meanwhile, at the beginning of May, all remaining obligations for the frost of 2021, about 7 million, will be paid,” said the Prime Minister.

The meeting was attended by the Minister of Finance Christos Staikouras, the Minister of Rural Development and Food Giorgos Georgantas, the Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister and Government Spokesman Yannis Oikonomou, the Secretary General of Fiscal Policy Thanos Petralias and the ELGA President Andreas Lykourentzos.

Total account of compensation and aid payments 2020-2023

It is pointed out that, including today’s payments of 65 million euros, the total compensations, which were paid in the period 2020-2023 by ELGA, amount to 957,191,804.50 euros, of which the revenues of the Organization from the Special Insurance Contribution of insured producers is 637.5 million euros, with the result that the EL.GA. with n. 3877/2010 from the state budget, to exceed 351.4 million euros.
At the same time, in the period 2020-2022, approximately 81 million euros were paid for the State Financial Support Programs.
It is recalled that in the context of the cooperation of EL.GA.A. with the Governmental Committee for State Aid, 33,742,304.40 euros were allocated for the Fires of the year 2021, as payment of compensation advances, to the P.E. Attica, Evia, Arcadia, Ilia, Etoloakarnania.
In total, today’s compensation and aid announcements, cumulative with those of the extraordinary payments made in the previous three years, amount to 1.8 billion euros.
Including, but not limited to, subsidies and compensations for: Fertilizers, Animal feed (2% and Measure 22), Regulation 467 for the wine and fruit horticultural sector, de minimis and covid 19, ELGA and KOE, Pre-flowering stage, EFFK on agricultural oil, subsidies due Ukrainian crisis.
The Government proves, in practice, that it is firmly on the side of the producers, essentially supporting the animal and plant production of the country.

The following is the full statement of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis:

“Today I think is a good day for our farmers and breeders, as the payment of subsidies and compensations for crop and livestock production, across the country, begins.

The Ministries of Finance and Rural Development worked together with ELGA and were able to finally utilize every available resource. Thus, until May 10, producers of the primary sector will receive a cumulative 155 million.

Those who suffered losses in 2022 will immediately receive the 80 million. An additional 8.3 million will be received by producers who were affected by the fires in Lesbos, Rethymno and Phocis. Compensation will also be given to those who had fire disasters in the last two years, but were not detected by the satellite systems. Meanwhile, at the beginning of May, all remaining obligations for the frost of 2021, about 7 million, will be paid.

Until Maundy Thursday, if I am correct Mr. Minister, they will also be strengthened with 28 million, crops in apricots, in peaches, in cores, in nectarines. It is mainly produced in Northern Greece, in Pella, Imathia, Larissa, Florina, Pieria, Kozani and Kilkis. To be followed by Kavala, Serres, Halkidiki, Kastoria, Marathon and other areas.

Then the transport equivalent will be paid to our islanders, we are talking about another 50 million. And today, finally, the first 25 million will be paid to farmers who suffered losses from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It is something that we claimed and achieved from the European Commission, to get their approval. And initially those who grow apples and chestnuts will see money in their accounts.

In a second phase, those who have beehives, tobacco, Corinthian raisins, pears and saffron will be covered with 28 million, after we receive the relevant approval from the European Commission. Thus, a great effort is completed not only with the general tax reductions from which the farmers obviously also benefited, nor with the special support measures such as the reduced VAT on fertilizers and animal feed.

Let me remind you of the tax incentives for those who participate in cooperative schemes, the very important return of the special oil tax, the suspension of the pretense tax. It is a total aid program which approaches 2 billion.

I believe that during these four years the farmers and breeders felt the practical interest of the state. And despite the great difficulties we were called to face, the world of the region found many initiatives, to make the production conditions of the products traffic better. But important reforms were also initiated to modernize the primary sector as a whole.

I know, that there is still much to be done. That we must cover the distance that separates us on this front from Europe. Our natural wealth allows us, but obviously also the abilities of people