Grant aid of €4.2m is available under the 2015 Scheme of Investment Aid for the Development of the Commercial Horticulture sector which was opened this week by Minister Tom Hayes.

The closing date for applications is 23 January 2015. The scheme is open to all horticultural sectors and will provide 40% grant aid (50% for qualifying young farmers) for approved capital investments completed by 2 October 2015.

In limited cases, funding may be approved for investments that will be completed and claimed prior to 30 September 2016.

“The tight in-year time frame for completion of investments is a challenge to growers for some types of investments,” Minister Hayes said. “The new provision addresses this and will provide opportunities for investments that could never have been considered heretofore under the scheme.”

He said that in 2014, applicants sought almost three times more grant aid funding than was available.

The scheme is aimed at improving growers’ competitiveness and quality of output as well as boosting innovation and diversification in accordance with Food Harvest 2020 and the Horticultural Action Group Report. Application forms can be obtained from Crop Policy, Production and Safety Division, Department of Agriculture, Administration Building, Backweston Campus, Young’s Cross, Celbridge, Co Kildare, (01) 5058886 or at www.agriculture.gov.ie/farmingsectors/horticulture/horticultureschemes/.