Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue has this week announced that Areas of Natural Constraints payments totalling €182 million have commenced issuing to 85,000 farmers.
Commenting, the Minister said: “I am delighted to announce that advance payments totalling €182 million have issued to 85,000 farmers under the ANC scheme. The ANC scheme is crucial to farm families and I know the importance of getting payments out to applicants as quickly as possible”.
Minister McConalogue said the issuing of these payments in mid-September highlighted Government commitment to pay farmers as early as possible.
“The ANC payments are a timely and significant financial boost for farmers and for the wider rural economy,” he said.
“Payments will be visible in farmers’ bank accounts in the coming days and my Department will continue to process, as a matter of urgency, all remaining cases for payment as they meet scheme criteria”.
The Minister also confirmed that arrangements are being made by his Department to facilitate payment of the advance of 70 per cent under the Basic Payment Scheme from October 17th.
The issuing of €182 million payment to 85,000 farmers is in line with previous years, with the same amount paid to 85,000 farmers at this stage last year.
