Lisbon, Sept. 1, 2025 (Lusa) - Young farmers in Portugal on Monday criticised the “unmanageable trail of bureaucracy” in government support for the fires and called for greater coordination on the ground, also involving producer organisations, which they say have been forgotten.
"The AJAP [Association of Young Farmers of Portugal] has received several reports from farmers in the centre and north of the country, reporting various difficulties in accessing the support available, particularly with the paperwork for reporting losses," the farmers said in a statement.
According to the association, as of last week, these forms had still not been made available by the Regional Coordination and Development Commissions (CCDR), forcing those affected to go to their local council or ask for technical help from farmers' organisations.
For the AJAP, “this trail of bureaucracy is unacceptable and does nothing to facilitate the urgent support that farmers need”.
The association therefore advocates "greater and better coordination" on the ground, between local authorities, the Regional Coordination and Development Commissions and farmers' organisations, which it says have been "practically forgotten".
On 21 August, the prime minister, Luís Montenegro, announced at a press conference in Viseu, where an extraordinary Cabinet meeting was held, a "new legislative instrument" to be adopted from now on in circumstances similar to those the country has experienced in recent weeks.
Among the 45 measures approved is financial support for the "profitability of agricultural production potential and exceptional support for farmers to compensate for losses, even through undocumented expenses", up to a maximum of €10,000, as well as a plan for the forest, to be implemented by 2050.
Mainland Portugal has been affected by multiple large rural fires since July, especially in the North and Centre regions.
The fires have caused four deaths, including a firefighter, and several injuries and have totally or partially destroyed first and second homes, as well as agricultural and livestock holdings and forest areas.
According to provisional official figures, by 29 August around 252,000 hectares had burned in the country.
PE/AYLS // AYLS
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