The
Rural Payments
Agency has paid out less in 2006 single farm payments than at
this point last year – meaning many farmers are in a worse
situation than 12 months ago.
Although SFPs did
start to flow much earlier this year, latest figures from the RPA
reveal that the total amount of money paid to producers now stands
at £1.274bn. This is 83.8% of the estimated total fund of £1.52
billion.
Yet at the same
point in 2006 – when the agency was dealing with 2005 Single
Payment Scheme claims - the agency had managed to pay a total of
£1.32 billion or 87% of the fund.
Richard
Wordsworth, NFU Single
Payment Scheme adviser, said the situation was a mixed bag
overall.
“Many farmers have
now been paid in full for SPS 2006, but we have around 20,000
claimants who have received only 50-60% partial payments which is
less than they received last year [80% partial payment]. We also
have another 8000 farmers with no payments at all.”
Mr Wordsworth said
he was encouraged that the RPA had managed to pay out £42m in the
past week. The week before it paid £36m, but the weekly figure has
been as low as £14m.
But he added: “If
the RPA is to meet its target of paying 96.14% of the fund by 30
June, it will need to pay £188m in the next five weeks.”
Find out more
about SFPs by reading the
Single Payment Scheme special report.