The Institute for Financing Agriculture and Fisheries (IFAP) has already paid aid granted by the European Union to Azorean farmers, amounting to 4.7 million euros.

This measure covers a total of 6,330 beneficiaries from all over the region, which received exceptional support from Brussels to compensate for the increase in production costs due to the impact of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

The support results from an exceptional and temporary measure that the European Union created to respond to liquidity problems that jeopardize the continuity of agricultural activities through regulation on support for rural development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD).

The President of the Regional Government, José Manuel Bolieiro committed, on June 30, with the President of the Agricultural Federation of the Azores, Jorge Rita that the payment would be made by the end of July, a guarantee that was also reinforced last week, by the Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Rural Development, António Ventura.

At a hearing in the National Portuguese Parliament, the Minister of Agriculture, Maria do Céu Antunes, said that the delays in payments of support to Azorean farmers were due to the Regional Government.

Responding to a question from the PS political party, the deputy elected by the Azores in the Assembly of the Republic, João Castro, the holder of the Agriculture portfolio of António Costa’s executive, said that he has no “record on the part of IFAP of an obstacle in making any type of payment.” The Regional Government “asked us not to make any kind of transfer because it was not able to ensure these payments.”

Meanwhile, PSD political party praised that the Regional Government has paid 4.7 million euros to support farmers.

In a press release issued by the party, the social-democratic regional deputy, Alberto Ponte said that the Azorean executive “is complying with the farmers of the Region” and stressed that “4.7 million euros of support were paid, as President José Manuel Bolieiro had guaranteed”.

From the Diário Insular newspaper, José Lourenço-director.

Translated to English as a community outreach program from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Cultures Department (MCLL) as part of Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Medial Alliance)  at California State University, Fresno.