Özgür Ferhat demands answers over unpaid cherry compensation in Rhodope
Cherry growers in Rhodope are still waiting for compensation 18 months after a severe frost damaged crops in the spring of 2025.
Özgür Ferhat, a Rhodope MP, has brought the issue before the Greek Parliament, asking the government to provide a clear timetable for compensation payments to the affected producers and explain when a special ad hoc support program previously announced by the government will be implemented.
According to the information presented by Ferhat, 543 cherry producers in Rhodope have declared losses, while the damage assessment process has reportedly been completed. Despite this, payments have yet to be made.
The frost struck during a critical period for cherry trees, affecting flowering and fruit development and resulting in substantial production losses. Producers are also facing rising agricultural costs and increasingly frequent extreme weather events, further worsening the financial impact of crop losses.
Compensation delayed for 18 months
The damage reportedly falls outside the compensation framework currently covered by Greece's agricultural insurance regulations administered by ELGA because it occurred during the pre-flowering stage.
As a result, the creation of a special ad hoc support scheme was proposed to compensate the affected producers. However, 18 months after the frost, the scheme has yet to be finalized, according to Ferhat.
The Rhodope MP submitted a parliamentary question to the Ministers of Rural Development and Food and National Economy and Finance, requesting detailed information about the government's plans.
Ferhat is asking when the ad hoc support program will officially begin, how much compensation each cherry producer will receive and which criteria will be used to calculate the payments.
Questions over eligibility and funding
The MP also requested clarification on what documents producers will need to submit, when payments will definitively be made and how much funding has been allocated nationally for the losses caused by the spring 2025 frost.
He further asked the government to specify how much of the allocated budget will be directed to cherry producers in Rhodope.
The case has become another source of concern for agricultural producers in the region, who are waiting for the government to clarify the timetable and financial framework for the promised support.
