Fruit and vegetable farmers in Bulgaria will get an advance of 50% of their coupled support for the 2026 campaign for the first time, the Agriculture and Food Ministry said. The State Fund Agriculture (DFZ) must pay out the money by 10 November. The deadline is in the fund's indicative schedule of payments to the end of 2026, published on the DFZ website.

The ministry links the advance to the crisis in the Middle East. It says the crisis hurts farmers and puts them at risk of running out of cash. The advance is meant to ease short-term problems, cover farm work and keep production going.

The aid is paid under the Strategic Plan for the Development of Agriculture and Rural Areas of Bulgaria 2023–2027. For each eligible hectare, the advance is half of the planned unit rate for the scheme.

For fruit, the advance is €469.39 per hectare for up to 30 hectares. Above 30 hectares, the rate is €312.93. For orchards that have not yet started bearing fruit, farmers will get €217.30 per hectare.

For tomatoes, cucumbers, gherkins and aubergines, the advance is €515.36 per hectare for up to 30 hectares and €343.57 above 30 hectares. For peppers, it is €629.30 per hectare for up to 30 hectares and €419.54 above that.

Onion and garlic growers will get €358.46 per hectare for up to 30 hectares and €238.98 above that. For carrots, cabbage, watermelons and melons, the rates are €276 for up to 30 hectares and €184 above 30 hectares. For seed potatoes, the advance is €466 per hectare.

Greenhouse producers get €4,092.22 per hectare, while fruit and vegetables grown in mountain areas get €607.29 per hectare.

Earlier this month, DFZ managers met the Fruit and Vegetables Trade Chamber and confirmed an advance of 30% of the coupled support for the 2026 campaign. It is set in the schedule for the period from 20 October to 10 November 2026, BTA recalls.

Livestock farmers will get their full payments in the first half of December.