Extraordinary 500,000-euro support for Madeira farmers

The Regional Government has approved an extraordinary financial support for farmers in the Autonomous Region of Madeira, aimed at offsetting the rise in production costs in the second quarter of 2026, with a maximum amount of 500,000.00 €. The support is calculated per hectare of agricultural area and per eligible animal, and payment is made in a single instalment by the Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Financing, I. P. (IFAP).

What has been decided#

Resolution of the Regional Government Council No. 1043/2026 approves the "Regulation establishing the rules for granting an extraordinary financial support to farmers of the Autonomous Region of Madeira 2026". The resolution was approved by the Government Council meeting in plenary on 6 November 2026 and published in the Official Journal on 6 November. The regulation is annexed and enters into force the day after its publication.

The maximum amount of the support is 500,000.00 € (five hundred thousand euros). This allocation was set by Dispatch No. 9825/2026, of 5 August, from the offices of the Minister of State and Finance and the Minister of Agriculture and Sea, and will be funded by transfers from Chapter 60 of the 2026 State Budget, made by the Treasury and Finance Entity (ETF).

Why this support exists#

According to the document, the exceptional increase in the costs of agricultural production inputs, mainly fuel and fertilisers, stems from the crisis in the Middle East and has had significant impacts on farming activity. The resolution considers that, given the outermost status of the Region, a tailored response is needed to mitigate the extra costs borne by farmers in the second quarter of 2026.

The support is based on European Commission Communication C/2026/2593, of 5 May. This is a Commission text that sets out a temporary framework for State aid granted in the context of this crisis, that is, the conditions under which public authorities may support businesses without breaching European competition rules. For this reason, the granting of the support depends on the European Commission's approval of the aid provided for in the regulation.

Who is covered#

Farmers who meet one of the following access conditions may receive the support:

• having submitted an eligible application under the Single Application of 2025 (the annual application form for agricultural support) for Measure 1 - Basic Support for Madeiran Farmers;
• having, in the 2025 campaign, animals eligible for the sub-actions of the Specific Options Programme to Address the Remoteness and Insularity (POSEI), namely the Dairy Cow Aid, the Suckler Cow Aid or the Sheep and Goat Aid.

In addition, applicants may not be undertakings in difficulty, within the meaning of Regulation (EU) No. 651/2014, in the accounting year preceding 28 February 2026. There is an exception for micro or small enterprises, provided they are not subject to collective insolvency proceedings and have not received rescue or restructuring aid. Compliance is proven through a declaration, under a statement of honour, which is mandatory for the award of the support.

Amounts and limits#

The support takes the form of a non-repayable grant and is calculated as follows:

• 159 € per hectare of agricultural area, excluding fallow land;
• 106.00 € per dairy cow;
• 34.50 € per suckler cow;
• 4.00 € per sheep or goat.

The total gross cumulative aid granted under this communication may not exceed 50,000.00 € per beneficiary. If the calculated amounts exceed the overall allocation of 500,000.00 €, a linear reduction is applied to all payments, proportional to the overrun. Support is granted until 31 December 2026.

How payment works#

IFAP notifies potential beneficiaries of its intention to grant the support and of the relevant conditions. Those who do not wish to receive the support must inform the Regional Directorate of Agriculture and Rural Development (DRA) within the deadline stated in the notification. Once the deadlines have ended, IFAP determines the beneficiaries and the amounts payable and forwards the result to the Regional Secretariat for Agriculture and Fisheries (SRAP), which passes it on to the ETF. Payment is made by bank transfer to the IBAN registered in the IB - Beneficiary Identification Database.

If IFAP pays an amount in error, it pursues recovery, first by notification for voluntary repayment and, if necessary, by tax enforcement. Statutory interest accrues on the outstanding amount from the end of the period set in the notification.

The document does not indicate the dates of the notification or of the payment, nor the number of farmers who may be covered.