Agriculture secretary says majority of farmers risk losing out on EU funds

Only 35 out of 450 farmers could benefit from the 2012 Mizura 121 funds after the previous administration spent the majority of the allocated €19 million in funds in 2009, parliamentary secretary Roderick Galdes said.

With only €4 million remaining, the government has now requested the European Commission to transfer an additional €4 million from the current agriculture programme to increase the Mizura 121 funds to €8 million.

Parliamentary secretary for agriculture Roderick Galdes cautioned that not all farmers who applied will benefit and preference would be given to those who spent the most.

According to Galdes, the results of the tests placing only 35 eligible farmers were finalized before the election. "But the previous government ordered that these should not be published for fear of retaliation given that most of the farmers were not to benefit."

"Our wish would be that all those farmers who invested in their farms would get to benefit, but this is not possible. The EU budget is what it is and we must work within that framework," he said, adding that there were many disappointed farmers who had made heavy investment.

Galdes was speaking during a visit at the Big Foot rabbit breeding farm and slaughter house in Naxxar.

The owner, Joseph Mamo, explained that in 2009 he had spent €80,000 on his farm to expand it, of which he received only €38,000 in funds.

With the assurance that he would receive more this time, Mamo put away €300,000 to continue expanding and renovating his farm, of which he already spent €200,000. His investment plans include the setting up of solar panels. But after carrying out the investment, Mamo was informed he had been placed on reserve list.