Cash payments worth €185m under the Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC) scheme have commenced, Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue has confirmed.

Some 86,000 farmers will receive their 85% advance ANC payment this week. This is an increase on the €168.5m paid to 79,000 farmers at this stage in 2019.

Minister McConalogue said the payments were a timely and significant financial boost for farmers and for the wider rural economy.

They are the first in a series of cash injections for hard-pressed farmers in the coming weeks.

Farmers will receive 70% of around €1.2bn in Basic Payment Scheme money from 16 October, 20% more than the usual advance payment.

GLAS, sheep welfare and the new beef finisher payments are expected in November.

In December, BDGP, BEEP-suckler and organic scheme payments will be made, in addition to the rest of the ANC payments.

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