Portugal farmers face delayed storm aid as CNA protests inadequate support

The National Confederation of Agriculture (CNA) says that more than 7,700 Portuguese farmers submitted claims for damage caused by the storms that hit the country early this year, including Storm Kristin. The claimed losses exceed €550 million, with the highest amounts reported in the Centro, Lisbon‑Valley of the Tagus and Alentejo regions.

CNA reports that only 847 applications have been approved so far, resulting in €5.6 million of assistance – a fraction of the losses. The organisation attributes the delay to insufficient human resources in the Regional Coordination and Development Commissions (CCDR), which are required by law to decide each case within 15 working days. CNA also criticises a lack of transparent data on the number of applications submitted, evaluated and paid, and warns of slow forest‑clearance work needed to restore agricultural land. The federation is demanding an urgent allocation of technical and financial resources so that promised aid reaches the affected farmers promptly.