PEPAC's first competition, later this month, will allocate 20 million to beekeepers

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries revealed that the first notice under the Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan (PEPAC) will be released by the end of June.

The first competition under the Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan (PEPAC) will be launched by the end of the month, providing 20 million euros for beekeepers, revealed the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, José Manuel Fernandes.

"There were those who thought that we shouldn't start with competitions and wait for the reprogramming of PEPAC [which the Government intends to submit to the European Commission by June 30], but it could be a risk to the objective of implementation (...). Therefore, a first competition will already be advanced within the scope of PEPAC", he said, this Thursday, during a hearing at the parliamentary committee on Agriculture and Fisheries.

This competition, with an allocation of 20 million euros, will be aimed at beekeepers.

"It is for those who already have beehives, for pollination, which means that agriculture is providing a service here in the environmental and diversity domains that - by the way - it was fair that the Environmental Fund contributed", he pointed out.

The launch of competitions for the bioeconomy and the transformation industry is planned for the third quarter, as well as open applications with the aim of combating climate change, such as financing ponds, and designed to minimize the impacts of frost or hail, there is an envelope for competitions in the order of 370 million euros.

As for forests, notices will "hardly" be opened this year, as ordinances for this purpose have yet to be drawn up. "Contrary to what we were told during the transition - by the way - the ordinances were not prepared and there was more than enough time to prepare them", he regreted.