97 percent of Northern Irish farmers receive December CAP payment

The Department has made a particular effort to issue payments to businesses affected by the flooding of 22/23 August 2017
The Department has made a particular effort to issue payments to businesses affected by the flooding of 22/23 August 2017

97 percent of Northern Irish farmers have received a full or balanced CAP payment so far in December.

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has announced the payments, totalling £95 million, were issued to 23,395 farm businesses.

Since the completion of advance payments in October 2017, the Department has sent out a total of £277 million in CAP payments so far in 2017, an increase of £27 million on 2016 payments.

This record number of payments has been made possible due to the significant increase in the number of farmers submitting their Single Application online, 99% in 2017.

The number of businesses subject to a land inspection and which received a December payment has increased from 959 in 2016 to 1,471 in 2017.

The Department has made a particular effort to issue payments to businesses affected by the flooding of 22/23 August 2017, with 98% of the affected businesses receiving payment in December.

'Big boost'

The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) said that the issuing of balance and full CAP payments from 1st December is a "big boost" to those farmers facing cash flow issues this winter.

UFU deputy president Ivor Ferguson said: “A considerable number of inspections cases have been cleared and many of those who did not receive an advance payment in October will now be paid in full. This will be a big relief to those farmers, especially after months of wet weather and increased winter feed bills and other costs looming.”

Northern Ireland saw fierce flash flooding in August. A number have lost livestock or suffered damage to farmland or properties. For example, tens of thousands of chickens were killed in the floods.

The long stretch of wet weather has also blighted Northern Ireland's potato industry, leaving many fields virtually inaccessible.