€2.8m emergency aid announced for Irish fruit and veg growers

Application forms for the payment must be submitted by midnight on June 17, 2022.

A €2.8 million emergency aid package has been unveiled to support Irish fruit and vegetable growers coping with spiralling input costs.

The scheme is open to those who grow mushrooms, field vegetables, apples for the dessert, culinary and processing markets, as well as glasshouse growers of high-wire tomato, cucumber, and pepper crops.

The Horticulture Exceptional Payment Scheme will be funded from Ireland’s allocation for exceptional adjustment aid to producers in agricultural sectors which have been impacted by Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, which was announced by the European Commission on March 23.

Helping those most impacted

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue said: “The horticulture sector has been experiencing significant challenges recently and that is why I am delighted to announce this support for those most impacted in the sector. We are very proud of our domestic horticultural growers and we must ensure the long-term viability of the sector.” 

Minister of State for Land Use and Biodiversity with special responsibility for horticulture Pippa Hackett added: “This support scheme will help to mitigate some of these impacts as well as sustain the viability of our horticultural growers who play a key role in producing safe, nutritious and local food in an environmentally sustainable manner.”

To be eligible, applicants must have an annual turnover of €50,000 or more. They must also either be a certified member of the Bord Bia Sustainable Horticulture Assurance Scheme (SHAS) or equivalent alternative scheme

Alternatively, they must be a certified organic horticulture producer or provide documentary proof that they have used environmental and climate-friendly production methods.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner, David Currid, chairman of the Quality Green Producer Organisation, which represents Irish glasshouse growers, an industry expected to benefit from €1m of the HEPS fund, said: "We are a small sector but an important one and this will help a lot of growers to pay the bills this year.

"It's not a cure-all as no one knows how long this uncertainty is going to continue for. Already, to date, wholesale gas prices are 400% higher last year. Some of the supermarkets have stepped up - we haven't got everything that we wanted, but in combination with this money it will be a big help."

The fund also includes €1m for field vegetable growers, €600,000 for mushroom growers and €200,000 for apple growers.

Payment rates 

Payments to growers of high-wire crops, field vegetables and apples will be made on an area basis (per hectare) for crops being grown in 2022. For mushrooms, payments will be calculated on the level of mushrooms sold and will be based on the quantity (weight in kg) of mushrooms sold over the period from January 1, 2022 to April 30, 2022.

The rate of payment will depend on the total areas and quantities applied for. Payments will be capped at €100,000.

Application forms for the payment must be submitted by midnight on June 17, 2022. 

Payments will be made by September 30, 2022.