Lisbon, April 15, 2026 (Lusa) – Portugal's Minister of Agriculture, José Manuel Fernandes, announced in parliament on Wednesday, that a further 2,000 young farmers have set up their farms, saying that €351 million in support is available for this group.

"We have 2,000 new young farmers who have set up farms," he said during a parliamentary hearing before the Agriculture Committee.

The executive has €351 million in support available for young farmers. To date, authorities have approved 820 applications totalling €222 million, with €527,000 paid out.

Responding to MPs, he said that generational renewal is one of his priorities, and that to achieve this, it is essential to change the general perception of the primary sector.

"I cannot accept that farmers are seen as villains, polluters," he said, adding that unless this perception changes, universities and vocational schools will fail to attract students.

The agricultural sector has seen its workforce drop from 430,000 to 220,000 over the last three decades, while productivity more than doubled, according to the study "Evolution of Work in Agriculture in Portugal" released in March. Four out of every 10 workers in the sector are foreigners.

However, agricultural employment rose from 165,000 to 180,000 between 2015 and 2023, representing 4.7% of national employment. Micro-enterprises with fewer than 10 workers still predominate, although the influence of medium and large farms has increased.

Foreigners make up more than 40% of the agricultural workforce. This proportion has quadrupled since 2014 and remains unparalleled in any other sector of the Portuguese economy. The study used data from Statistics Portugal (INE), the Strategy and Planning Office, the Bank of Portugal, the Agricultural Census, and Eurostat.

PE/RYOL // AYLS

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