The crisis aid scheme for farmers will take applications from 10 November, and payments will end by the end of 2026, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food said.
In mid-October the ministry put a draft regulation on the scheme up for public consultation. It offers help to farmers who lost at least 30% of their output. Comments were accepted until 28 October.
See also: Draft rules offer help to farmers who lose at least 30% of their output
Applications for the so-called "Iran aid" open earlier, on 5 November. Farmers submit one application, with no supporting documents.
Deputy agriculture ministers Yanislav Yanchev and Prof. Krum Nedelkov gave the dates to livestock farmers in Blagoevgrad region. Nearly 20 people from the livestock sector, from different municipalities in the region, attended the meeting. They discussed where the crisis aid applies, support for livestock farmers outside it, compensation for damage by wolves and jackals, and the State Fund "Agriculture" payment schedule.
The aid falls under intervention II.И.3 "Payments to farmers in crises", part of the Strategic Plan for the Development of Agriculture and Rural Areas 2023-2027. Yanchev said that under EU rules, the right to aid is decided by comparing official 2025 production data with the previous five years. The money covers proven loss of output, not the farm's total costs.
The data comes from the latest information farmers gave in surveys by the ministry's Agrostatistics department, Yanchev said. After the public consultation, more regions were added to the scheme, so the estimated payment rates per farmer were adjusted, he added.
Livestock farmers in Gabrovo region want to be included immediately in all strands of the crisis aid, and want the eligibility criteria reviewed, Petar Petrov told BTA. He chairs the Livestock Advisory Council to the agriculture minister for the region. The regional advisory councils aim to give the ministry direct contact with farmers and let it discuss the sector's development with them.
For farmers outside the crisis scheme, the ministry is considering moving leftover money from coupled support from dairy to meat. The two sectors are developing differently, so some money will probably be left over. Prof. Nedelkov added that the ministry is also thinking about leftover de minimis aid, including for regions outside the scheme.
Early estimates suggest the spare money would go to beef and dairy cattle farming and sheep farming in regions outside the crisis scheme.
Compensation for damage by wolves and jackals will come under a mechanism in the Strategic Plan, which is expected to start next year. The relevant institutions are due to take part in assessing the damage, to make it easier for farmers.
Payments under the State Fund "Agriculture" indicative schedule are planned by 20 December, Yanchev and Nedelkov said.