Horticulture growers to receive funding through exceptional payment scheme
Payments to growers will continue to issue through the month of September as applications are processed
22 September 2022
Exceptional payments from a fund of €2.8 million are to be issued to Irish horticulture growers through the month of September as applications are processed.
The Horticultural Exceptional Payment Scheme (HEPS) is a support measure worth €2.8 million which is funded from Ireland’s allocation for exceptional adjustment aid to producers in agricultural sectors which have been impacted by Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine as announced by the European Commission on 23 March.
Payments to growers in the sectors of high-wire crops, field vegetables and apples will be made on an area basis (per hectare) for crops being grown in 2022. For mushrooms, payments will be calculated on the level of mushrooms sold and will be based on the quantity (weight in kilograms) of mushrooms sold over the period from 1 January 2022 to 30 April 2022.
“I am delighted to announce the commencement of payments under the Horticultural Exceptional Payment Scheme,” said Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue. “This support measure will help to mitigate some of the significant challenges the horticulture sector has been experiencing of late. The domestic horticulture sector is of immense importance and one that we want to protect and enhance. This was my core reason for devising this support package. I want to see the sector flourish in the time ahead.”
Minister of State for Land Use and Biodiversity with special responsibility for Horticulture, Senator Pippa Hackett said: “Our domestic horticultural growers play a vital role in producing safe, nutritious and local food in an environmentally sustainable manner. I am committed to supporting our growers through what has been an exceptionally challenging period, and these payments will provide valuable cash flow to help to support growers and ensure the long-term viability of the sector.”
Minister McConalogue urged farmers who have outstanding queries to address to respond to the department immediately in order to facilitate their payment.
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