The second round of start-up aid for young farmers has closed with 2,952 applications, the State Fund Agriculture (SFA) said. Applicants are asking for a total of €177,120,000 in grants, but the budget is €115,766,488. That means requests exceed the money available by more than €61m.

Each successful applicant gets €60,000 in two payments of €30,000. The first is paid once the project is approved. The second follows when the fund confirms that the business plan has been carried out properly.

Individuals, sole traders and single-owner limited companies (EOOD) can apply if they are registering as farmers for the first time. They must be aged 18 to 40 on the day they submit their documents.

The farmland on the holding must be fully owned, rented or leased. The same applies to the buildings where animals are kept, except for pastures used for year-round grazing. Each applicant must submit a five-year business plan, and the work in it must be finished within 24 months.

Projects in priority sectors and in organic production get an advantage in scoring. Extra points go to projects on digitalisation, adapting to climate change and protecting the environment, and to applicants with farming education.

The aid comes under intervention II.D.1 "Start-up aid for setting up young farmers in agriculture" in the Strategic Plan for the Development of Agriculture and Rural Areas 2023–2027. It is for young people who start farming on their own and run their holding themselves.

The programme aims to draw more young farmers with their own holdings to Bulgaria. It is expected to bring lasting development, jobs and social inclusion in rural areas.