€35m increase in organic farming payments

Funding paid out under the Organic Farming Scheme in the first year of the new CAP Strategic Plan increased majorly, rising by over €35m to top just over €48m. The almost four-fold increase in payments is stemming from a combination of higher payments and more participants.

The average payment per holding was recorded at in excess of €12,200 per farm compared to over €6,200 in the previous year. The number of participants receiving a payment also almost doubled, growing from 1,973 participants to 3,932 in 2023.

These figures also include almost €84,000 in payments recouped from about 23 participants, ranging from as low as €13.56 to in excess of €10,000 per holding. There were three holdings which received payments in excess of €50,000 – Patrick J and Cormac Watson, Roscommon (€76,822.47), O’Sullivan Farm Partnership, Cork (€55,870) and Carran Peak Ltd, Kerry (€51,156.20) while there was another four in excess of €40,000 per holding and another 28 holdings receiving over €30,000 through the scheme.

The overall level of payment will continue to grow with participation increasing by over 1,000 more holdings in 2024 and a further 700 for the 2025 scheme year.