Payments under the 2016 Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) Scheme commenced as scheduled in the third week of September. To date payments worth in excess of €179m have issued to some 83,000 applicants. This represents 84% of those who applied.
As is normal at this juncture many farmers are not yet eligible for payment as they have not yet fulfilled the necessary stocking requirements under the ANC scheme but will do so before the end of the year. Regular payruns are continuing, with a view to processing cases for payment as they become eligible under the scheme rules.