Galery

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Young farmers in Greece aged between 18 and 40 will receive a cheque to the amount of 20,000 euro under a new support programme for the sector. The "Holdings of young farmers" programme is expected to begin as of the end of October.

The amount allocated for the programme is worth about 100 million euro and the maximum aid (which differs according to the place of permanent residence of farmers) according to the category of regions amounts to:

• Up to 20,000 euro for mountain regions;
• Up to 17,500 euro for underdeveloped regions;
• Up to 15,000 euro for all other regions.

The following criteria will be taken into account:

Permanent residence: 1. Mountain regions – 7,500 euro; 2. Underdeveloped regions – 5,000 euro; 3. All other regions – 2,500 euro;

Type of business: 1. Livestock breeding – 7,500 euro; 2. Plant-growing – 7,500 euro; 3. Mixed farming - Beekeeping – 5,000 euro.

Level of income from operations: 1. More than 120% of revenues, according to the report -5,000 euro; 2. Between 80% and 120% - 2,500 euro.

Those eligible include individuals, residents of the Greek state, registered in the control system, who have been heads of the company for the first time in the previous 14 months before the filing of the application and meet the following requirements:

• Be aged between 18 and 40 years.
• Applicants must be permanent residents of underdeveloped, mountainous or other regions of an actual population of 100,000 inhabitants.
• Have sufficient professional abilities or commit to acquiring such abilities within 36 months from the date of approval of the application.
• Submit a business plan for a maximum period of 5 years with a commitment for the achievement of specific goals in defined terms for the development of agricultural activities.

Farming areas must be: 1. Owned or leased, or both; 2. Larger than or equal in size to the smallest area by type of agricultural land which is selectable in a general assistance mode or, in any other case, greater than or equal to 1,000 square metres, with the exception of the islands of the Aegean where smaller areas are also acceptable. In the case of livestock breeding and beekeeping, animals must be owned and registered in the records of the Ministry of Rural Development and Food.

Amount of aid

The aid for the first farm of young farmers is given in 3 instalments. The first instalment is to the amount of 70% of the approved amount. The remaining 30% is related to the achievement of goals of the business plan. The second instalment (15%) can be paid two years after the establishment of the farm, if the recipient has met the commitments of the business plan and submitted at least two general Statements of Service after their inclusion in the programme. The second and third instalments can be paid simultaneously two years after the establishment of the farm.