Payments totalling €32.4 million have begun issuing to farmers under the Tillage and Horticulture Support Scheme. The average payment under the scheme is just under €3,000, with 10,868 farmers deemed eligible.

As part of Budget 2025, the Government secured funding to deliver on its commitment to provide a €100 per hectare payment to support tillage and horticulture growers who planted crops for the 2024 harvest.

Announcing the commencement of payments, Minister for Agriculture, Food, and the Marine, Martin Heydon, highlighted the challenging conditions farmers faced last spring due to exceptionally poor weather and high input costs.

"The tillage and horticultural sectors are exceptionally important to the Irish agri-food industry, and we wanted to ensure that supports were in place to assist farmers," he said.

A payment of €100 per hectare will be made on eligible tillage and horticulture crops declared in farmers’ 2024 BISS applications. These payments will appear in farmers’ bank accounts in the coming days.

Minister Heydon reaffirmed his commitment to stabilizing and expanding the tillage sector, referencing the Food Vision Tillage Group’s roadmap for growth. A recent meeting of the group focused on progressing key actions to support the industry.

Minister of State for Forestry, Horticulture, and Farm Safety, Michael Healy-Rae TD, emphasized the importance of financial support in sustaining the horticulture sector.

“The National Horticulture Strategy requires a strong foundation to ensure the industry's growth. This financial support package is critical in maintaining the economic viability of the sector,” he said.

Concluding, Minister Heydon stated: “These payments are an important support, and both Minister Healy-Rae and I will continue to work with and advocate for these sectors.”

Reporting on:independent.ie