APIA releases 2026 livestock subsidy guidelines for Romanian farmers

The Romanian Agency for Payments and Intervention in Agriculture (APIA) has released official guidelines for new state aid schemes targeting the cattle and swine sectors for 2026. Applications for these subsidies can be submitted starting September 1, 2026, at local and county APIA centers. The measures aim to mitigate economic pressures on livestock farmers caused by rising costs linked to the crisis in the Middle East.

For the cattle and buffalo sector, the support is set at 68 euro per head, with a total budget of approximately 54.4 million euro. To be eligible, farms must have at least 10 animals (or 5 in mountain areas) as of March 1, 2026, and animals must be at least 22 months old by February 28, 2026. Individual beneficiaries are capped at 50,000 euro.

In the swine sector, aid is calculated based on eligible housing units rather than per animal. Support is 11.9 euro per housing unit for fattening pigs and 13.7 euro for breeding animals (sows and boars). This sector has an allocated budget of approximately 11.5 million euro, also with a 50,000 euro cap per beneficiary.

Separately, regarding previous funding cycles, over 98% of farmers from the 2025 campaign have already received their subsidies, with total payments exceeding 2.6 billion euro. Authorities are currently preparing for the 2026 campaign, with field inspections underway to facilitate advance payments.