The Horticulture Exceptional Payment Scheme (HEPS) is primed to deliver €2.8m to eligible fruit and vegetable growers through a once-off payment due to the current financial climate.
Glasshouse high-wire crops, mushrooms, field vegetables and apple growers are the specific horticultural sectors that have been targeted by The Department of Agriculture.
The HEPS is now open to receive applications until 17 June, 2022.
Payment rates have yet to be set and will depend on the volume of applicants. It is noted that aid will not exceed €100,000 per beneficiary.
It has been established that payments to applicants growing high-wire crops, field vegetables or apples will be made on a 2022 cropped area basis, while mushroom grower payments will be made on the basis of the weight of produce sold between 1 January and 30 April of 2022.
In terms of eligibility, some 48 field vegetables are eligible for payment, these include onions, turnips, broccoli, cauliflower, kale and lettuce. High-wire glasshouse crops included in the scheme are tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers. Apples destined for the dessert, culinary and processing markets are included in the apple crop category.
Those applying will have to submit their latest set of accounts as part of the application process. This pertains to certain conditions of eligibility, such as applicants having an annual turnover of €50,000 or more, being currently registered with the Department as a food business operator, and having submitted a 2022 Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) application in the case of field vegetable applicants.
The scheme is funded under the Department’s allocation of the EU’s crisis reserve fund.
For more information about the HEPS, see here.