Cattle farmers who are not covered by the crisis support scheme will get "de minimis" state aid, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food said. The money will be paid in January 2027. Farmers will get about €80 for a dairy cow or buffalo and €30 for a beef animal.
The ministry said the rates are the same as under the crisis scheme. Applications for that scheme close on 23 November, and the exact rate will be set after that. The ministry's early estimates put it at about €80 per animal.
The decision follows meetings with the cattle sector in recent days. At one of them, held at the ministry, representatives of the Beef Cattle Breeding Trade Chamber raised other issues facing the sector.
"We are starting a dialogue to build on the conditions for beef farmers and so give them the chance to develop in a more sustainable and productive way," said agriculture and food minister Plamen Abrovski.
Earlier the same day, beef cattle farmers from across Bulgaria protested at the entrance to the village of Anevo, on the Troyan-Karnare pass side, and briefly blocked the Subbalkan road. They want equal treatment with families in all other farming sectors. They also want a cap on aid per farm, so the money reaches small and mid-sized farms. The protest is peaceful and was organised by the chamber, its chairman Ivan Veninski said.
The chamber proposes that any money left over after the December payment of coupled support for dairy cattle be shared among beef farmers. It also wants changes to the technology cards and a fix for the problem of so-called virtual animals.