APIA: Applications Invited For Animal Farming Complementary National Direct Payments

Animal farmers can submit applications for the complementary national direct payments (CNDP) in the animal farming sector. To support farmers, the Agency for Agricultural Payments and Intervention (APIA) has provided them with pre-printed applications that include the animal stocks registered with the National Farming Registry. To fill in such applications, farmers need to report to the local offices of APIA with a copy of their ID, an indication of their bank account and the documents that certify the origin of the animals.

The financial support is offered in the form of a premium per farm of cattle or a premium per capita of sheep or goat. In order to receive the aid, animal farmers need to apply for it at the local offices of APIA until 31 May 2009. Additionally, applicants need to meet a number of eligibility criteria.

Thus, the premium per farm is disbursed as a function of the cattle headcount registered with the National Farming Registry until 31 January 2008 to the farmers that meet the following conditions: the farm had at least 3 head of cattle by 31 January 2008, the cattle were at least six months of age by 31 January 2008, the farm is registered with the National Farming Registry on the date when the application is files and the farmer has no outstanding debts to the State or the local authorities.

For the year 2009, the premium for cattle farms is also granted to farmers who started a new farm between 1 February 2008 and 31 January 2009 who concurrently meet the following requirements: the farm had at least three heads of cattle by 31 January 2009, the cattle were at least six months old by 31 January 2009, the farm is registered with the National Farming Registry by the date of the application and the farmer has no outstanding debts to the State or local authorities.

As for the premium per head of sheep or goat, the premium can be disbursed to farmers who had at least 50 female sheep or 25 female goats aged at least one year by 31 March 2009. This minimum stock must be maintained within the farm between 1 June and 31 August 2009 for on-site inspection. The value of the aid for both cattle and sheep or goat will be defined by Government decision depending on the number of eligible animals counted during on-site inspections.