86% per cent of Welsh farmers will receive their Single Payments from tomorrow (Wednesday, 1 December), the first day that the European Commission allows payments to be made, Wales’ Rural Affairs Minister, Elin Jones has announced.
14,262 farmers will have been processed for payment with almost £207mil being paid into farmers’ bank accounts from tomorrow. This represents an improvement on last year’s achievement of a first day payment rate of 82.5%.
Speaking at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair at Llanelwedd, Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones said:
“I am very pleased to be able announce that I expect over 90 per cent of our farmers in Wales to receive their payments by the end of December.
“This achievement demonstrates the commitment of the Welsh Assembly Government and the dedication of my officials in Rural Payments Wales to helping farmers in these difficult economic times.”
“Payments made under the Single Payment Scheme total some £270m of EU funding. To deliver the scheme successfully and ensure farmers receive accurate payments on time requires a very significant level of investment in IT and other systems.
“As part of the Welsh Assembly Government’s draft budget published a few weeks ago, I made a commitment to protect this investment.
“As Wales’ Rural Affairs Minister, I am committed to doing all that I can to ensure a vibrant future for rural communities and the industries that support them.”
