Lefterris Avgenakis announced the measures and actions to reconstruct the agricultural production of the plain
A holistic plan aimed at the reconstruction of agricultural production in Thessaly, after the recent floods, the Minister of Rural Development and Food announced, Lefteris Avgenakis from Larissa, after a series of successive sectoral meetings he had yesterday with producers in the region.
Speaking about the improvement plans in the Region of Thessaly, Mr. Avgenakis underlined that it was decided to cover all the support applications that will be considered eligible for inclusion, increasing the total budget by 20 million euros. The initial projected budget was 18,760,000 euros, a total of 601 investment proposals were submitted and 37,320,000 euros are required to cover them all.
Regarding the loss of crop production, the Minister of Rural Development and Food noted that a total of 1,122,317 hectares were flooded, with the cotton crop being the most affected, while damages occurred in corn, industrial tomatoes, grains and apples.
ELGA will accept applications from flood-affected farmers until Friday and pointed out that a total of 27,579 declarations have already been submitted, which concern 73,943 plots of land. The advances of compensationsas he noted, are expected to be paid in the first ten days of November.
Speaking about the advance payments of crop production compensations, Mr. Avgenakis stated that:
– For the cotton crops which were affected at a rate of damage of 80%-100%, an advance payment of 140 euros per hectare will be given. This is an advance payment increased by 40% compared to the advance payment of 100 euros given in the case of Janos. Crops whose damage ranges from 60% to 80% will be given an advance of 100 euros per hectare, and crops that suffered less damage will be given an advance of 50 euros per hectare.
– For corn crops that have suffered a damage rate of 80%-100%, the advance payment amounts to 110 euros per hectare. It is increased by 57% compared to the advance payment of 70 euros given in the case of Janos. Also, crops whose damage ranges from 60% to 80% will be given an advance payment of 80 euros per hectare, and crops that suffered less damage will be given an advance payment of 40 euros per hectare.
– For the cultivation of industrial tomatoes, which, however, were 70% harvested, and for cases with losses from 80% to 100%, the price of the advance payment per hectare is 500 euros. For the cases of crops which had been harvested in a percentage of more than 40%, as it appears from the estimates of ELGA’s agronomists, the advance payment amount is set at 300 euros.
In the other types of crops such as alfalfa, horticulture, etc., as the Minister of Rural Development and Food said, the amount of advances will be proportional to the already mentioned compensation prices, in terms of their increase rate.
He underlined that “in cases where, possibly, the price of the advance is higher than the value of the compensation, the money will not be required to be returned to ELGA, but will be offset against future compensations”.
Regarding the damages caused to the fields, he noted that the Government Committee for State Aid has decided to cover the expenses required for their restoration. He added that the process for the payment of the first advance payment has also started to the farmers who submitted a claim for damage to their facilities in their agricultural equipment, such as plows, irrigation hoses, stored products, etc.
The Minister of Rural Development and Food noted that 2,363 declarations have been submitted for the loss of livestock.
According to the data announced by Mr. Avgenakis, the declarations concern: 84,148 sheep and goats, 7,375 cattle, 22,781 pigs, 256,483 poultry (hens, turkeys, guinea fowls), 647 rabbits, 71 horses and 111,971 bees.
The compensations for the loss of livestock will be paid to the affected breeders in the last ten days of October for the animals that were insured in ELGA.
Speaking about the measures to support the livestock sector, Mr. Avgenakis pointed out that these are aimed at the reconstitution and resumption of livestock production through development and investment programs.
As he said, a study has been prepared for the replacement of the lost livestock by a special group of scientists in collaboration with officials of the Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food and veterinarians of the Region of Thessaly. As mentioned in the said study “our breeders, with the guarantee of the Greek government, will have the possibility to replace their animals with new animals tested, suitable for the place and breeding conditions, from farms that will have been selected by specialist scientists” such as he said.
Those who have lost their stable facilities, according to Mr. Avgenakis, will be given a standard design of stables which will ensure high yields for their animals, high biosecurity and hygiene conditions as well as special plans for the escape and protection of animals in cases of natural disasters .
Also, livestock farmers will have at their disposal two financial tools that will work in conjunction with the compensations paid by ELGA. The first, according to the competent minister, concerns measure 5.2 of the PAA 2014-2022, amounting to 45 million euros, through which those breeders who submit an application for the purchase of livestock will be financed, with the government covering the expenditure amounting to 100 %.
At the same time, as he said, in the upcoming draft of the HYPAAT there is a provision for simplifying the establishment and operation of livestock parks which will operate with specific rules that meet the well-being and hygiene of the animals.
The second financial tool concerns the Agricultural Reserve of 2023, amounting to 15.8 million euros. In particular, those producers who were unable to insure the production of specific animals such as pigs, poultry, rabbits, horses with ELGA will be compensated for their production or livestock that they declared to have lost.
In addition, the ministry will immediately introduce a legislative regulation that will provide for the non-disposal of compensation for those affected in Thessaly, while the livestock farmers of Thessaly are exempted from the milk and meat contribution fee to ELGO – DIMITRA for two years.
According to Mr. Avgenakis, an MOU was signed for state compensations for the loss of livestock due to diseases, where in the Region of Thessaly they correspond to about 2 million euros, while as added by OPEKEPE for a reasonable period of time it will suspend the controls in the Region of Thessaly.
He emphasized that the first advance payment has already been given to the producers who declared damages to their facilities and their equipment are being compensated and urged farmers and breeders who have been late to make declarations for the first aid at arogi.gov.gr.
He underlined that the statements of the breeders regarding the number of animals they declare as lost have been accepted, but the exact determination of the lost animals will be done by comparing the data from the existing information systems of ELGA of OPEKEPE and the Veterinary Services of the region .
“In those cases where excessive declarations are confirmed, there will be a correction of compensations to their true value and the producers in question will be obliged to return money. I hope there will be no such cases,” he said.
As far as the beekeeping industry is concerned, Mr. Avgenakis said that a special committee has been set up by the four associations of the regional units of Thessaly, with which the HYPAAT cooperates and awaits their proposal for the changes required so that disrupt the smooth operation of the annual beekeeping program, amounting to 61 million euros until 2027, corresponding to 12.3 million per year.
Regarding fishing, the Minister of Rural Development and Food stated that for the owners of professional fishing vessels in the Region of Thessaly, de minimis aid will be granted due to the reduction of their fishing production and/or due to the damage suffered by the vessels and the fishing vessel equip them from bad weather Daniel.
Beneficiaries are the residents of the Regional Units of Magnesia, Sporades (only for the island of Skiathos) and Larissa, owners of professional coastal fishing vessels, or owners of medium-sized fishing vessels equipped with the fishing gear, with their fishing license valid for the year 2023.
The amount of the aid “is determined as the product of the percentage of ownership of each shipowner by the amount of aid corresponding to the category of total length of the professional fishing vessel he owns,” said Mr. Avgenakis.
Specifically:
a) Coastal fishing vessels with a total length less than or equal to 5.99 meters at 1,800 euros per vessel.
b) Coastal fishing vessels with a total length of 6.00 meters and less than or equal to 11.99 meters at 2,600 euros per vessel.
c) Coastal fishing vessels with a total length of 12.00 meters and less than or equal to 14.99 meters at 7,000 euros per vessel.
d) Coastal fishing vessels with a total length equal to or greater than 15.00 meters at 8,000 euros per vessel.
e) Fishing vessels for medium fishing with the fishing gear gri-gri at 12,000 euros per vessel.
f) Inland fishing vessels of any length at 1,800 euros per vessel.
