According to Ziarul Financiar, the Paying Agency AFIR is preparing the launch of a new EU-financed measure under the Romanian CAP Strategic Programme. It's about measure DR 16 - Investments in the vegetable and/or potato sector. According to this publication, the launching could take place in June 2025.
Guidelines
The draft guide for applying for this financing measure was published earlier in March this year, for information purposes. It is available on: Detalii și Anexe DR 16 - Portalul AFIR - informații PS 2027 și depunere proiecte Online - downloadable pdf file, however the text is in Romanian only.
General description
Here is in short an English description of this measure, in draft version. The final version of the applicant's guide will most likely be published right before or on the day when the call opens.
This is a general call for projects meant for both outdoor and indoor vegetable growing + potatoes.
Budget
The amount of support granted under this new funding line is up to € 2,000,000 per project. For projects proposing the simple purchase of agricultural machinery and equipment for crops other than potatoes, the maximum funding is 300,000 euro per project. At the same time, a maximum of 700.000 euro/ project is granted for potato machinery purchased by individual farms, as well as for agricultural machinery purchased by associations, regardless of the crop. The intensity of non-reimbursable public support is a maximum of 65% of the eligible costs per project.
Eligible beneficiaries
The beneficiaries eligible for funding under DR-16 are farmers (excluding natural persons) and their associations: agricultural cooperatives and cooperative societies serving the interests of farmer members, as well as producer groups and organizations recognized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, serving the interests of members.
Eligible investments
Through the DR-16 intervention, farmers can obtain funding for a number of eligible investments such as: the establishment and development of vegetable and potato holdings, as well as on-farm processing units, including related equipment - only as a secondary component of the project (in financial terms), as well as investments in protected cultivation and technical equipment of farms with agricultural machinery, trailers and technological semi-trailers (specialized for agricultural activity) specific to vegetable and potato farming.
Also eligible are costs for the establishment and development of conditioning or storage facilities, the purchase of equipment and systems for early warning of adverse weather events and other equipment to mitigate the effects of such events, the establishment and modernization of on-farm irrigation equipment, including on-farm water storage facilities - only as a secondary component of the project.
At the same time, the project may also include the purchase of surveillance, monitoring and control systems for crops, premises and technological flows on the farm, perimeter lighting systems and lighting of areas where the technological processes of the farm are carried out, weather station, guard cabin.
Inflow of fresh funds into a promising sector
The launching of this measure represents an opportunity for both Romania to strengthen a sector which is not working at its full capacity and potential – considering the important volumes of vegetables imported to meet all-year-round demand, but also for suppliers of technology and solutions for this sector.
Funds are expected to be depleted very rapidly after the launching, as demand is seemingly high.
Source: Agroberichten Buitenland