The resources contracted as at end-2012 under all measures of the Rural Development Programme add up to EUR 2.399 billion, speaking for 74,27% of the total programme budget.
Of the contracted amount, EUR 1.926 billion is sourced from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD). EUR 1.361 billion, or 52,28% of the EAFRD budget, has been paid out, according to statistics announced by the State Fund Agriculture.
In 2012, State Fund Agriculture sealed contracts worth EUR 803 million, where EUR 645 million was European financing.
“This was undoubtedly the most successful year in terms of contracting”, State Fund Agriculture executive director Rumen Porozhanov said. The amount surpasses by over 50% both the 2012 budget and the amounts contracted in any other year of the programme implementation. The 2012 payments amount to EUR 474 million, including EUR 381 million from EAFRD. This is also the top achievement among all years in the period 2007-2012.
Of the subsidies contracted in 2010, EUR 381 million was paid out, or 88,2% of the 2010 budget sourced from EAFRD. According to the n+2 rule, the unabsorbed funding, of EUR 51 million, will be cut from the total programme budget. “Back in the middle of 2012 it was projected that we will lose EUR 200-300 million. We worked very intensely and managed to reduce this to EUR 51 million,” Porozhanov said. “Our aim is to scale back the losses under the programme as much as possible, while certainly adhering to the European rules.”
2013 will also see the launch of the Guarantee Fund, which will support agricultural producers with a EUR 120 million budget.