The Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Forestry stated that the Regional Government already transferred this month 4.6 million Euros for anticipated payments in the Azores under PRORURAL+ requests. 

This is a political measure that has enabled the transfer of significant amounts to anticipate validated payment requests under the PRORURAL+ programme, already submitted or under analysis. The increase in the liquidity of farms also helps the agricultural sector to minimise the impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,” João Ponte said, adding these anticipated payments concern some measures of the PRORURAL+ programme. 

The allocation of funds for anticipated payments under the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, which is part of PRORURAL +, amounts to 60 million Euros and falls within the measures taken by the Ministry of Agriculture to help the sector face the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The government official added that the Financing Institute for Agriculture and Fisheries (IFAP) has paid 2.1 million Euros in advance for payment requests from the Azores already submitted or under analysis. 

João Ponte stated the transferred funds correspond to 70% of the investment amount presented by the promoter for each payment request already submitted or under analysis.

On April 9, IFAP anticipated the payment of 2.5 million Euros for payment requests validated in the Azores, which would be transferred on April 30.