Slovenia announces agricultural aid at AGRA fair

At the AGRA international agricultural and food fair in Gornji Radgoni, Slovenian government officials announced measures to support the domestic farming sector. Prime Minister Janez Janša emphasized that food security is a strategic necessity for the country's development and called for the removal of bureaucratic obstacles and better adaptation to climate change.

Minister for Agriculture Janez Cigler Kralj pledged €8.1 million in emergency financial assistance to help farmers cope with high energy and fertilizer costs. This funding includes €2.7 million from European funds and €5.4 million from the Slovenian national budget, to be distributed as flat-rate payments per hectare. Additionally, the government is accelerating payments of €8.45 million related to last year's drought and upcoming frost damage.

The agricultural sector, particularly the dairy and meat industries, is currently facing significant market pressures and low purchase prices. Minister Cigler Kralj stressed the importance of ensuring that added value is fairly distributed across the entire supply chain to maintain economic viability for family farms and encourage generational renewal.