New program with € 490 million for organic crops – Which are included for the first time

Within the next few days, the new organic farming program (Measure 11 of the RDP) is expected to be announced, with a budget of 490 million euros. This is a program increased compared to the previous one and with an expanded plan of activities and crops that it covers.

“We are proving in practice that we support organic products and organic farmers. We are laying a solid foundation for organic farming and empowering producers by all possible means. expansion of their income “said the Minister of Rural Development and Food, Spilios Libanos, to the Athenian-Macedonian News Agency.

According to him, the goal of this program is “to strengthen the products that have added value, which can be exported abroad, to bring income to producers and the country and at the same time to become the best ambassadors of Greece to the ends of the earth.” “I strongly believe in organic products. It is the future for our country and the Greek production and the development pillar of the” Greek Nutrition “that I believe will change the entire agri-food sector in the coming years.”

The crops included for the first time

According to the ministerial decision, signed by Mr. Libanos, for the first time pomegranates, kiwis, figs, small fruits / forest (goji berry, blueberry, raspberry etc.) as well as a number of vegetables such as indicative tomato, cucumber, eggplant beans, pepper, watermelon and melon. Additionally included – all crops that were included in the 1st call of the measure and were not included in the 3rd.
Also, for the first time, bees are included in an organic farming program.

The actions that are supported are:

* Action 11.1.1 / Action 11.1.2: Aid for conversion into organic practices and production methods in agriculture / livestock Action 11.2.1 / Action 11.2.2: Aid for conservation in organic practices and production methods in agriculture / livestock

* For actions 11.1.1. and 11.2.1 two invitations will be issued, one for arable crops and the other for permanent crops, horticultural and aromatic-medicinal plants.

* For actions 11.1.2 and 11.2.2 two invitations will also be announced with the following eligible animal categories per invitation:

1. Sheep and goats, Cattle with a meat / mixed direction and Cattle with a dairy direction

2. Beehives

Beneficiaries and eligibility criteria

The beneficiaries of the actions can be natural and legal persons or groups of natural or legal persons, who are active farmers, and have the right to submit support applications for as many actions of the organic farming program as they wish.

The application for support will be submitted electronically, through an information system, within the deadline set in the calls for expressions of interest.

The commitments of the beneficiaries will be for a period of three years and will start from the date of issuance of the Decision for Integration of Measures 11. For inclusion in sub-measure 11.1 are eligible the candidates who hold newly integrated in the control system for organic agriculture parcels, pastures or farms and offshoots.

In the case of sub-measure 11.2, in order to be considered eligible, a candidate must hold agricultural parcels, pastures or farms or occupied hives and offshoots, which are included in the organic farming control system through a contract with a Certification and Control Organization, which has concluded until 31/12/2020.

In order to be included in any of the measures of Measure 11, the producers, the requested parcels, beehives, pastures and livestock, as the case may be, must meet the following eligibility criteria:

– To be declared in the Single Aid Application (EAE) 2021 of the candidate.

– To be legally held upon accession, and for each year, throughout the commitment period.

– In the case of permanent plantations (trees and vineyards) the plots to be included must be declared in the 2021 EAE of the interested party with permanent cultivation eligible for the commitment. In animal production actions, farms should have a pasture, which has been declared in the 2021 EAE, together with the animals and in terms of hives / offshoots have been declared in the 2021 EAE

– Especially for the actions of sub-measure 11.2, to be included until 31/12/2020 in an active contract with OE & P.

– The minimum size of the included parcels / pastures is 0.1 Ha (hectares).

Eligible for aid are bovine animals over 6 months old, ovine and caprine animals over 12 months old and occupied hives and offshoots which have been marked in accordance with applicable EU and national legislation.

– Excluded from inclusion: (a) parcels which are included in the measure of afforestation of agricultural land, c) parcels that are jointly owned, as it results from the declaration of the parcel to the 2021 EAE of the candidate.

Finally, regarding the principles of the selection criteria, for Action 11.1.1 are the following:

* Young farmers
* Included area
* Included area belonging to environmentally sensitive areas

– For Action 11.2.1:

* Duration of previous application of biological system
* Included area
* Professional Farmer
* Included area belonging to environmentally sensitive areas

– For Action 11.1.2 the principles of selection criteria are the following:

* Young farmers
* Organic feed production

– For Action 11.2.2 the principles of selection criteria are the following:
* Duration of previous application of biological system
* Organic feed production
* Professional Farmer.