The criteria for assigning subsidies to national organizations representing Portuguese farmers, affiliated with European professional organizations, considered both the total available amount of 339,430 euros and the budgets submitted by the five organizations, according to a statement from the Ministry of Agriculture.
The government explained that the value was determined equitably, at 35.659% of the budgets submitted. Furthermore, it was established that the maximum support per organization is 100,000 euros.
On March 6, the National Confederation of Agriculture (CNA) expressed disappointment with the government, describing a 24% funding cut to their activities with European institutions, reducing their support to 50,758 euros.
“The government decided to apply an inexplicable 24% cut in funding for the CNA’s representation expenses at the European Union, whereas other confederations see the same support increase compared to previous years,” the CNA stated in a communiqué.
According to the decree setting these supports, the CNA will receive a maximum amount of 50,758 euros. In contrast, the Confederation of Farmers of Portugal (CAP) and the Confederation of Agricultural Cooperatives and Credit of Portugal (Confagri) are each allocated 100,000 euros. The Association of Young Farmers of Portugal (AJAP) is set to receive 58,838 euros, and the National Confederation of Young Farmers and Rural Development (CNJ) has a maximum of 29,834 euros.
The CNA argued that this cut represents a “clear undervaluation of the voice of family farming within European organizations,” as well as discrimination against small and medium-sized farmers.
