site.btaEuropean Commission Grants EUR 7.4 Mln in Emergency Aid to Bulgarian Farmers

The European Commission (EC) has approved a proposal to allocate nearly EUR 50 million from the agricultural reserve to support fruit, nut, and vegetable producers in Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, and Romania, who recently suffered severe losses due to adverse weather conditions, the EC said in a press release on Friday. 

Following approval by Member States, the proposal allocates EUR 7.4 million to Bulgaria, EUR 10.8 million to Hungary, EUR 4.2 million to Latvia, EUR 1.1 million to Lithuania, EUR 14.8 million to Poland and EUR 11.5 million to Romania. These countries may complement this EU support by up to 200% with national funds.

Across all six Member States, late frosts, which were in many cases followed by hail or heavy rain, destroyed large parts of the fruit, vegetable, nut and seed harvests.

In the spring of 2025, Bulgaria saw unusual weather that started with warm temperatures in February, causing fruit trees to flower too early. Cold and frost which followed in March and April damaged many crops, especially almonds, apples, apricots, cherries, peaches, pears, prunes and walnuts.

To ensure this exceptional measure is effective, it is important that beneficiaries rapidly receive the emergency financial support. Payments to farmers must be carried out before April 30, 2026. 

Under the agricultural reserve as part of the current Common Agricultural Policy (2023-2027), at least EUR 450 million per year is available to help farmers cope with market disruptions or exceptional events affecting production or distribution. In its proposal for the next CAP (2028-2034), the EC intends to double the crisis reserve to support the resilience of European farmers and the agri-food sector against market disturbances.