Bulgarian agricultural authorities are launching €20.7 million in transitional national aid for cattle, ewe, and nanny goat breeders under Campaign 2026, agri.bg reported. Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Krum Nedelkov announced the payments during the “Day of the Bulgarian Producer – Sliven 2026” exhibition, where a total budget of €20,735,344 was approved by the State Fund Agriculture governing board to support livestock farmers based on submitted applications.
Allocating Transitional National Aid Budgets
The approved funding splits into distinct sector interventions to cover applications submitted for Campaign 2026. According to data published by the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency (BTA), up to €11,476,150 goes toward cattle breeders under the decoupled transitional national aid scheme known as PNDJ1. Meanwhile, up to €9,259,194 is allocated for production-linked transitional national aid for ewe-mothers and/or goat-mothers under the PNDJ3 scheme.
These maximum limits adhere to Article 147 of Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 of the European Parliament and of the Council, which caps total transitional national aid by sector at 35 percent for 2026. www.24chasa.bg noted that the broader Sliven exhibition featured around 200 animals from more than 15 breeds, including Aberdeen Angus, Hereford, Limousin, Galloway, Wagyu, and Iskar cattle in the beef sector, alongside Black-and-White and Holstein-Friesian dairy cows and Bulgarian Murrah buffaloes.
Targeting Peste des Petits Ruminants Restrictions
Livestock owners facing animal movement bans and trade curbs due to peste des petits ruminants in small ruminants will receive an extra €1.8 million in targeted support. Sliveninfo reported that this assistance provides up to €8 per animal for producers whose holdings are located within settlements under official restrictions. Deputy Minister Nedelkov stated that these funds aim to alleviate the mounting operational costs and commercial hurdles forced upon farmers inside the quarantine zones.
Key Statistics for Campaign 2026 Support
- Total Transitional Aid: €20,735,344 approved by the State Fund Agriculture.
- Cattle Subsidies (PNDJ1): Up to €11,476,150 distributed to cattle producers.
- Sheep and Goat Subsidies (PNDJ3): Up to €9,259,194 allocated for ewe-mothers and goat-mothers.
- De Minimis Applications: Approximately 20,000 applications filed by the October 2 deadline.
- The Minimum Budget: €42.6 million set aside for livestock and plant-growing sectors.
Managing Emergency De Minimis Applications
The application window for an emergency de minimis aid package aimed at the livestock and crop-growing sectors closed on October 2, securing roughly 20,000 submissions. The measure carries a total budget of €42.6 million to offset a portion of mounting production expenses for local growers. Ministry officials emphasize that these financial interventions support predictable fiscal planning, proper animal healthcare standards, and market competitiveness across domestic and European supply chains.
Frequently Asked Questions About Campaign 2026
Who organizes the Sliven livestock exhibition?
The Executive Agency for Selection and Reproduction in Animal Breeding (IASRJ) organizes the event, with backing from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food and the State Fund Agriculture, in partnership with Sliven Municipality.
What specific equine breeds appeared at the Sliven event?
Exhibitors displayed East Bulgarian, Pleven, and Danube horses, alongside trotting horses, Flemish heavy draft animals, Thoroughbreds, Arabians, Shagya Arabians, and ponies.
What regulatory limit applies to the transitional national aid?
Article 147 of EU Regulation 2021/2115 restricts the total transitional national aid per sector to 35 percent for the year 2026.
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