In 2024 the Spanish agricultural sector faced a notable hurdle: higher fertilizer prices. To offset the pressure on costs, the government introduced an extraordinary aid program. This fertilizer price increase subsidy is designed to help farmers and agricultural producers manage rising production expenses. The aim is to partially compensate for the extra costs and preserve the sustainability of farming activities.
The aid flows from Article 30 of Royal Decree No. 20/2022 dated December 27, addressing the economic and social effects of the war in Ukraine and supporting recovery efforts on the island of La Palma and other vulnerable situations.
The program has a budget of 300 million euros and is administered directly by the Ministry, through the Spanish Agricultural Guarantee Fund FEGA.
Affected land uses include agricultural lands, excluding temporary pastures, fallows, and permanent crops. Therefore permanent pastures, temporary pastures, fallow areas, and nonagricultural zones declared in a single application are not eligible. The ministry notes that land use definitions align with article 3 of Royal Decree 1048/2022 of December 27.
Requirements to access assistance for fertilizer price increases
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food explains the conditions that must be met to receive the aid:
- Be a single applicant for CAP assistance for the 2022 campaign and eligible for at least one direct aid per district. Direct aid per region includes basic payment, small farmer regime, green payment, payment for young farmers, combined aid linked to crop areas, and special payment per cotton crop. Farm owners who do not meet direct payment requirements for 2022, such as the single application deadline or active farmer status, are ineligible for fertilizer aid. The minimum direct deposit amount is 300 euros and must meet eligibility criteria.
- Maintain permanent planting areas or suitable planting areas and collect at least one direct aid per region.
- Remain current on tax and Social Security obligations.
- Reach a minimum aid amount of 200 euros for the fertilizer program.
The program also clarifies that eligible land includes areas with permanent cultivation or suitable planting, provided the region receives at least one direct aid. Notes about eligibility follow the criteria above.
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How much is the aid for the fertilizer price increase?
There is a distinction between two unit amounts depending on land use:
- 22 euros per hectare of dry land
- 55 euros per irrigated hectare
There is no split between cultivated land and permanent crops in this calculation.
The final unit values were calculated by FEGA based on the provisional beneficiary list. The resulting figures were:
- 20.823597 euros per hectare of dry land
- 52.058992 euros per irrigated hectare
After establishing these exact unit amounts, the beneficiary’s total aid is determined by multiplying the eligible hectares by the corresponding unit value.
The authorities also highlight two key limitations:
- A minimum payment of 200 euros applies. If the calculated amount falls below this threshold, the recipient cannot receive aid.
- The eligible surface is capped at 300 hectares. If a farm exceeds this area, only the first 300 hectares qualify. For farms with both irrigated and dry land, aid is prioritized toward the irrigated portion.
How to request assistance for the fertilizer price increase?
The ministry notes that no specific application will be required to benefit from the aid. FEGA will determine the list of beneficiaries and the amount each will receive ex officio.
It is important to understand that all operations related to the scheme, including decisions publication, claim submissions, corrections, and notifications, will be conducted exclusively through FEGA’s electronic portal.
Finally, the ministry advises that the beneficiary or their representative must hold a valid digital certificate to carry out all online transactions.