Szekler County Farmers Apply for Over €7M in Cattle Support

Farmers in the Szekler counties of Harghita, Mureș, and Covasna have submitted applications for financial support amounting to over €7 million, targeting more than 100,000 cattle. This initiative aims to alleviate the financial burdens faced by cattle and buffalo farmers due to the ongoing Middle East crisis.

The application period for this support program concluded on Thursday. Eligible farmers in these regions have shown significant participation, with nearly 90% applying for assistance. Harghita county stands out nationally, both in terms of the number of applications and the volume of animals involved. Specifically, 2,644 farmers in Harghita county have applied for support for 45,214 animals, expecting to receive over €3 million in aid.

In Mureș county, 1,406 farmers have applied for support for 37,778 animals, with the anticipated support value exceeding €2.5 million. Meanwhile, Covasna county leads the nation in the proportion of eligible farmers applying, with 92% participation. Here, 1,045 farmers have applied for assistance for 20,495 animals, with nearly €1.4 million expected in support.

Váncsa Rozália from APIA Harghita has provided insights into the program's requirements. Farmers needed to have at least 10 cattle or buffalo over 22 months old as of March 1st to qualify, with a reduced requirement of five animals for those in mountainous regions. APIA staff will conduct checks on the animal stock in early October to ensure compliance, with farmers required to maintain at least 75% of the declared animals by October 5th.

The support amount is set at €68 per animal, and payments are expected to be disbursed before the end of the year. The national program has a maximum budget of €54.4 million, aiming to provide substantial relief to the affected farmers.