The Basque Government will launch a package of extraordinary aid totaling 5,954,175.00 euros aimed at the agricultural, livestock, and fishing sectors of Euskadi "to address the exceptional circumstances recorded during 2026." The main allocation will focus on the agricultural and livestock sector, with a maximum endowment of 5,523,525.00 euros, while the specific aid for the smaller and more dependent fleet on the fishery of the horse mackerel or mackerel will reach a maximum of 430,650 euros.
These measures were presented this Saturday at a press conference by the Minister of Food, Rural Development, Agriculture, and Fisheries, Amaia Barredo, who emphasized that "we are not facing an ordinary situation and the response cannot be ordinary either."
As she explained, "the scarcity of rainfall, the continued heatwaves, other effects of climate change, and the increase in costs are having direct consequences on the farms and on the income of those who live from these activities," so the aid aims to "contribute to maintaining the productive capacity and the continuity of the farms."
The plan provides for 5,523,525.00 euros for agricultural and livestock farms affected by the lack of precipitation and by the extraordinary increase in costs linked to the Middle East crisis, and 430,650 euros to compensate the smaller and more dependent fleet on the horse mackerel for the poor fishing season of 2026. Of the amount reserved for the agricultural and livestock sector, 5,128,910.00 euros will be financed from the General Budgets of Euskadi and 394,615 euros will come from the FEAGA, as specified by the department.
Two lines of support for agricultural and livestock farms
The aid aimed at the agricultural and livestock sector is structured into two differentiated lines, according to the origin of the funds and the justification of the aid. The first, the extraordinary Ormuz aid, is aimed at dairy cattle in order to partially compensate for the additional costs arising from the increase in fuel and fertilizer prices. This line will have 565,056 euros, co-financed between the FEAGA and the General Budgets of Euskadi.
The second line, of an extraordinary nature due to the lack of precipitation, is directed at all livestock and agricultural farms, with an initial endowment of 4,958,469.00 euros fully funded by Euskadi and which may increase by up to 40% if the situation requires it.
Amounts by type of exploitation and limit of 15,000 euros
As a whole, these two lines may reach beef cattle, dairy cattle, sheep, goats, and horses, as well as producers of seed and consumption potatoes, beans, sunflowers, cider apples, and corn.
The proposal sets specific amounts according to the type of production and the level of impact: 60 euros per head for beef cattle over 24 months, 36 euros for dairy cattle, six euros for sheep and goats, and 30 euros for horses, in addition to aid per hectare for the different crops.
The maximum amount per person or beneficiary entity is set at 15,000 euros, and only aid whose final amount exceeds 300 euros will be processed. The planned distribution highlights the impact of drought on livestock: 3,048,180 euros will be allocated to beef cattle, 788,352 euros to sheep, 621,000 euros to horses, and 565,056 euros to dairy cattle.
In the case of crops, the amounts will be calculated based on the damaged area. 150 euros per hectare are anticipated for seed potatoes, 100 euros for consumption potatoes and beans, 60 euros for corn, and 40 euros for sunflowers and cider apples.
In global terms, the proposal includes 154,776.80 euros for sunflower cultivation, 79,270 euros for consumption potatoes, 62,022 euros for corn, 54,324 euros for seed potatoes, 37,011 euros for horticulture and beans, and 26,407.20 euros for fruit growing and cider apples.
With the data provided, this aid will reach 5,268 farms in Euskadi, to which 335 dairy cattle farms are added. In total, 15,695 dairy cattle, 50,802 beef cattle, 131,391 sheep, 14,520 goats, and 20,699 horses will be subsidized. Regarding agricultural productions, the aid will cover 370 hectares of beans, 3,868 of sunflowers, 1,032 of corn, 660 of cider apples, and 1,152 hectares of potatoes.
Support for the mackerel fleet and possible aid for diesel
At the same time, a specific aid for the smallest fleet dependent on the mackerel fishery, affected by the poor campaign, is incorporated.
The maximum allocation will be 430,650 euros and will allow for the payment of 825 euros to each crew member who has participated in the mackerel fishery, as well as another 825 euros for each crew member embarked for the shipowner, with a cap of 10,000 euros per company.
This line will reach 261 crew members embarked on 73 vessels with a home port in Gipuzkoa and Bizkaia. The purpose "is to partially compensate for the impact of a particularly complicated campaign on a small-scale fleet whose activity has a high dependence on this species and a limited margin for adaptation to a significant reduction in catches."
In addition, and as long as the Ministry does not increase the aid for diesel for the fishing fleet, the department led by Barredo is studying the possibility of providing a complementary aid for fishing diesel of 15 cents per liter, which would be added to the existing state aid.
In this regard, they have stated that they are "in conversations" with the Ministry of Agriculture and also with the sector "to follow up on the commitments, which if not materialized, will end up in the economic estimate necessary to specify the cost of this measure and determine its conditions of application."
Barredo recalled that "in the sector there are farms, boats, families, and people who need to be able to continue working, which is why we are designing aids that respond to specific situations: to those who have had to face high temperatures and a lack of rain that has increased the cost of feeding their animals, to those who have endured an extraordinary increase in costs, and to a small-scale fleet that has suffered a poor season for mackerel."
These actions have been contrasted and agreed upon with the organizations and agents of the sector and with the three Provincial Councils, with the aim of providing a coordinated response. The aids from the Basque Government will be complemented by those from the Provincial Councils, so that the different institutions pool resources and capacities to strengthen support for the affected farms and activities.