Spain applies for 270 million euros from the EU within the framework of the fruit and vegetable aid system for 2017

This is a forecast made at the beginning of each year according to the operating programmes approved by the regional governments. Normally, the final aid amounts to approximately 80%-85% of this figure.

For this year, 2017, the forecast aid required is 15% higher than in 2016, and 18% higher than in 2015.

The beneficiaries will be the 491 producer organisations distributed among 15 autonomous regions, particularly Andalusia, Murcia, the Region of Valencia, Catalonia, Extremadura and Aragon.

Spain is the second largest recipient Member State of this aid, with 25% of the European Union total, behind only Italy. It is noteworthy that this aid has followed an upward trend in Spain since it was set up in 1997.

Aid system in the fruit and vegetable sector

This aid system for the fruit and vegetable sector, established and developed through EU legislation, consists of the producer organisations that make up an operating fund, being able to receive aid to carry out actions to improve production and marketing infrastructures, to improve quality and environmental protection, research, training and advice, as well as the prevention and management of market crises, among other areas, within the framework of operating plans that span several years.

Hence, producer organisations can benefit from aid from the European Union for 50% of the actions they undertake (60% in specific cases) and charged to this operating fund, up to a limit of 4.1% of the value of the production marketed by each producer organisation, which may rise to 4.6% for crisis prevention and management actions.

This aid channel is constantly increasing, such that in 2015 it amounted to 201 million euros in aid from the EU, a figure which stood at 184 million euros in 2014.