Ferhat questions €50 million frost aid budget despite €120 million in losses
Independent MP Özgür Ferhat has challenged the Greek government over a €50 million support programme for farmers affected by frost in March and April 2025, arguing that the allocation falls far short of the approximately €120 million in agricultural losses assessed by the Greek Agricultural Insurance Organization (ELGA).
The MP representing Rhodope (Rodopi) submitted a parliamentary question to the ministers of Rural Development and Food and National Economy and Finance, seeking clarification on how the aid budget was calculated and whether additional funding would be provided if eligible losses exceed the available resources.
Ferhat also warned that eligibility thresholds and compensation formulas could further reduce payments to affected farmers, calling on the government to explain how the programme will operate in practice.
FARMERS FACE UNCERTAINTY OVER COMPENSATION
The March and April 2025 frost events damaged agricultural production in Rhodope, affecting growers of cherries, sour cherries, apples and quinces, among other crops.
According to Ferhat, ELGA's assessments put the total losses at approximately €120 million, while the support programme published in Greece's Government Gazette caps the overall budget at €50 million.
The MP questioned whether the available funding would be sufficient to compensate producers for their losses and called for transparency over the amounts farmers can expect to receive.
Under the programme's reported eligibility rules, damage must exceed 30% both at the relevant regional unit level and for the individual producer. A 20% deduction is also applied for losses falling outside the programme's coverage before aid is calculated, while support is capped at 50% of the value of lost production.
Ferhat argued that these restrictions could significantly affect the final payments and urged the government to disclose their likely impact on farmers.
HISTORICAL SALES DATA COULD REDUCE AID
Another concern raised by Ferhat involves the use of historical sales figures to calculate compensation.
According to the provisions cited in his parliamentary question, Article 7 uses sales data from code 361 of the 2025 E3 tax declaration and compares it with the highest sales figure recorded in 2023 or 2024. The resulting difference is used in determining the level of support.
Ferhat warned that this approach could disadvantage farmers whose production or revenue had already been affected by extreme weather events in previous years. He argued that earlier agricultural losses should not leave producers facing lower compensation for subsequent frost damage.
He called on the government to explain how the calculation method would affect individual applicants and the overall distribution of aid.
FOUR QUESTIONS FOR THE GOVERNMENT
Ferhat has requested answers to four key questions:
Budget calculation: Why was the support budget set at €50 million when assessed losses reportedly reached approximately €120 million?
Impact of restrictions: What are the total aid amounts before and after the programme's deductions and limitations are applied?
Affected farmers: How many producers will receive reduced payments or be excluded from support under the eligibility criteria?
Additional funding: What action will the government take if eligible losses and compensation needs exceed the available budget, and is additional funding being considered?
The MP also asked whether the government would provide extra resources to cover eligible losses rather than relying on general deductions that could reduce farmers' compensation.
“Farmers need real support, not promises”
Ferhat criticized what he described as a gap between political assurances about compensation and the programme's actual conditions.
“Recording a video in Athens and saying that the money for compensation has been ‘secured’, while not knowing the criteria and conditions under which support will be calculated, is not serious politics. Farmers need clear answers and real support, not promises unsupported by facts,” Ferhat said.
He called on the government to explain the budget restrictions, disclose the effects of the compensation criteria and ensure that farmers affected by the frost receive the support to which they are entitled.
The government's response to the parliamentary question is expected to clarify whether the €50 million allocation will be sufficient and whether additional resources or changes to the programme's implementation will be considered.
