Ewing says support loans should ease the burden on producers

Farmers who have claimed under the advance loan scheme on farm support payments should begin to receive their dues this week, it has been announced.

But many of those yet to receive an offer could have to wait until the end of the month before they received the paperwork allowing them to claim.

The Scottish Government said that more than £241 million would begin to arrive in farmers’ and crofters’ bank accounts in the coming days. Some 10,684 producers are expected to receive payments under the scheme, which pays out a loan equivalent to around 90 per cent of their dues.

Rural economy secretary Fergus Ewing yesterday said the cash injection would help those feeling the effects of increased feed and fodder prices and of the adverse weather experienced by many across the year.

Encouraging anyone who had yet to accept a loan offer to consider doing so and to respond as quickly as possible, he said: “For those farmers and crofters yet to receive a loan offer, I would like to put their minds at ease that offers are still being made once eligibility checks have been completed.

“I am confident the majority of all eligible claimants will have received an offer no later than 31 October.” l In a statement to Holyrood last week, Ewing said the IT system had been successful in making more than 95 per cent of all 2017 payments by the 30 June deadline required by the EU. He added that 99 per cent of basic, greening and young farmers’ payments had now been completed, while 97 per cent of the coupled suckler and upland ewe payments had also been made.