Payments under the Horticultural Exceptional Payment Scheme (HEPS) have started to issue to farmers on Friday 9 September.

Payments to growers will continue to issue through the month of September as applications are processed, according to Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue and Minister of State Pippa Hackett, who made the announcement.

HEPS is a support measure worth €2.8m, which is funded from Ireland’s allocation for exceptional adjustment aid to producers in agricultural sectors which have been affected by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as announced by the European Commission on 23 March.

ADVERTISEMENT

Payments to growers in the sectors of high-wire crops, field vegetables and apples will be made on an area basis (per hectare) for crops being grown in 2022.

Payment rates

Growers of field vegetables and apples will be paid €400/ha.

Those growing high-wire crops will be paid €70,000 for the first hectare in production and €30,000 for the second or the pro-rata equivalent.

For mushrooms, payments will be calculated on the level of mushrooms sold and will be based on the quantity (weight in kg) of mushrooms sold over the period 1 January 2022 to 30 April 2022.

I am committed to supporting our growers through what has been an exceptionally challenging period

Minister McConalogue said: “This support measure will help to mitigate some of the significant challenges the horticulture sector has been experiencing of late.

"The domestic horticulture sector is of immense importance and one that we want to protect and enhance. This was my core reason for devising this support package. I want to see the sector flourish in the times ahead.”

Minister Hackett said that Ireland's domestic horticultural growers play a vital role in producing safe, nutritious and local food in an environmentally sustainable manner.

"I am committed to supporting our growers through what has been an exceptionally challenging period and these payments will provide valuable cashflow to help to support growers and ensure the long-term viability of the sector," she said.

Minister McConalogue urged farmers who have outstanding queries to address to respond to the Department immediately in order to facilitate their payment.