Scottish Government

This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007

Listen

Arable area payments scheme

12/11/2002

The Minister for Environment and Rural Development, Ross Finnie, has announced that Scotland's arable overshoot for 2002 will be 2.70 per cent, a reduction from last year's level of 4.44 per cent.

Scottish farmers will receive a total of more than £119 million under the Arable Area Payments Scheme this year.

Mr Finnie said:

"I am pleased to announce that Scottish farmers will receive around £119 million under the AAPS. This is £3 million more than last year and will be a welcome boost to the arable sector given the continuing challenges faced by farmers in this important sector of the industry."

Earlier indications were that the provisional overshoot was to be 3.2 per cent. However, the final overshoot was 2.70 per cent, compared with the final overshoot figure of 4.44 per cent in 2001 and details have been sent to Brussels.

The Rural Affairs Department will start making arable aid payments from Monday 18 November - the earliest day possible. It is expected that payments to around 75 per cent of Scottish arable farmers will be made on that date. The remainder will be paid as soon as possible thereafter.

AAPS payments to Scottish farmers totalled £93 million in 1993, £115 million in 1994, £150 million in 1995, £148 million in 1996, £142 million in 1997, £138 million in 1998, £136 million in 1999, £122 million in 2000 and £119 million in 2001 (before modulation). The figure for 2002 is expected to be in the region of £119 million (net of modulation).

Since the LFA and non LFA base areas were combined to establish a single overshoot percentage for Scotland as a whole, the overshoots have been 2.25 per cent in 2000 and 4.44 per cent in 2001. For 2002 the figure is down to 2.7 per cent

The Environment and Rural Affairs Department will issue the vast majority of payments for cereals, linseed, oilseeds, protein crops, flax and hemp and set-aside in the period 18 November 2002-31 January 2003. Payments will start on 18 November, the first working day after the 16 November, which is the earliest date allowed for under the legislation.

As with the other main farm-based aid schemes, AAPS payments will be subject to modulation at a rate of 3 per cent for this year. The AAPS payment rates allowing for base area penalties for Scotland for 2002 will be as follows (£/hectare):