The results of 81% of farmers selected for remote sensing (satellite) inspections for area-based agricultural schemes have been received to date in 2019, according to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
Of these, more than 96% have been finalised and cleared for payment processing, the department added.
This would mean that approximately 1,300 farmers are yet to reach the payment processing stage under some schemes due to no results as of yet.
In a statement to AgriLand, a spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture said:
“Some 6,840 applicants, under the various EU-funded area-based schemes, were selected for an inspection by means of remote sensing using satellite imagery.
To date, inspection results have been received in respect of 81% of these cases, of which over 96% have been fully finalised and advanced to payment stage processing.
The department noted that 5,800 of the selected satellite inspection cases are applicants under the Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC) scheme.
It was noted: “The inspection process has been fully finalised for 78% of these cases, with payment having issued on 83% of the cases.”
In addition, 6,600 of the selected inspection cases are applicants under the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS).
Of such applicants, the department said that the inspection process has been fully finalised for 78% of these cases, with payment having issued on 96% of the cases.