The Ministry of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda, through the Agricultural Board, has agreed on the first major package of measures with the agricultural sector which includes direct aid for the purchase of fodder for extensive livestock farming in order to cover the costs that will arise from not being able to graze due to the drought during the next four summer months. This aid will also extend to the beekeeping sector and rabbit farms.

These direct grants have been created urgently to supplement those announced by the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, which the Government considers insufficient to cover all the expenses resulting from lack of grazing land. Specifically, the Ministry will give a grant of €60 for each unit of extensive beef cattle and equine livestock, €15 for extensive sheep and goats; €75 per head of dairy cattle, and €15 for dairy goats.

This aid will also extend to the beekeeping sector and rabbit farms. Specifically, honey producers will receive €10 euros per hive and rabbit farms a total of €5 per animal. In total, the Ministry has earmarked some 10 million euros to meet these drought-related expenses.

The Ministry has also announced that it will provide water tanks for those livestock farms that suddenly find themselves in need of such tanks to feed their herds.

Working with the sector

The Ministry of Climate Action is working in tandem with agricultural groups to regularly monitor the true effects of the drought on the agricultural sector in Catalonia.

This joint work is making it possible to identify the most urgent issues to be addressed in the sector, such as fodder, in order to respond as quickly as possible and minimise the impact of this severe drought on the country’s primary sector.