The Secretary of State for Agriculture, José Diogo Albuquerque, announced today that the first grants under the 2014-2020 Rural Development Programme will ready to be processed as from 15 November this year.
The Government already has agreed flagship measures with the European Commissioner for investment in projects by young farmers and new agribusiness initiatives.
"We are in the final stages of approval" of the 2014-2020 programme as agreed with the European Commission, and the government hopes to have the programme "fully operational" in mid-2015, said Albuquerque.
The official was speaking to the Lusa news agency at the second national olive oil producers meeting in Ferreira do Alentejo, Beja.
According to Secretary of State the current programme has an implementation rate of 87%, which is expected to reach 92% by the end of this year and 100% by mid 2015.
All well and good, but the current programme should have finished in 2013 and the three year delay in starting the 6 year grants programme left many farmers and businesses in despair at the speed of delivery.
José Diogo Albuquerque had good things to say about the olive oil business sin Portugal, calling it "dynamic" and one where producers have enabled the country to be self-sufficient in olive oil.
