PRESS RELEASE

EU AID PROGRAMME FOR THE TURKISH CYPRIOT COMMUNITY

4^th Rural Development Grant Scheme “Support for investment in agriculture” ready for implementation

Nicosia, 24 April 2020

The European Commission signed the first batch of grant contracts with the farmers in the Turkish Cypriot community as part of the 4^th Rural Development Grant Scheme. The total value of the grant scheme is 5 000 000 Euro, and 58 grant applications have been approved.

The aim of the Grant Scheme is to increase the competitiveness of the rural economy in the Turkish Cypriot community by improving crop and animal production, whilst promoting the sustainable use of natural resources.

The contracting procedure is currently on-going and as today, 25 grant contracts have been signed by the European Commission. The emphasis has been on innovative concepts concerning renewable energy, designed to cut costs and increase profits.

The approved grants also include projects for improved production methods and an increased production of sheep and goat milk, which could be used to produce halloumi/hellim.  

The average EU funding amounts to over 90 000 Euro per contract for a duration of 24 months.