As Scots wait for news of cash, N Irish farmers paid in advance

Farmers in Northern Ireland will once again receive advances on their farm support payments it was confirmed this week, with payments tabled to begin in the middle of October.

The department of agriculture, environment and rural affairs (DAERA) said that producers who had submitted verified claims would receive 50 per cent of their basic payment and greening dues in advance, with the balance being paid from 1 December.

A spokesman for DAERA said that the high number of producers who had submitted their claims online had allowed them to make the move.

While the early advance had been at 70 per cent last year, DAERA said that this had been due to an EU decision to allow such a move due to the difficult trading conditions in agriculture across the EU, but this was likely to be limited to 50 per cent this year.

However, in Scotland where the performance of the government’s troubled IT system – which had resulted in the issuing of emergency advances over the past two years – was still a cause for concern for many in the industry, no decision had yet been reached on whether the national loan scheme will be reintroduced again this year.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The option of a loan scheme forms part of our considerations, though no final decision has been made.”