The Rural Development and Food Ministry announced Wednesday it was scrapping all aid programs for organic beekeeping and livestock farming, amid a rash of bogus applications by farmers to receive EU subsidies.
The announcement by Minister Margaritis Schinas put an end to speculation that they could restart after they were suspended in October 2025, when audits revealed the extent of the scandal. The program, budgeted at €134 million, would allocate €19 million to organic beekeeping and €115 million to organic livestock farming.
“We are obliged to cancel the problematic actions,” Minister Margaritis Schinas said at a press conference, adding that “there will be no future funding until we establish the appropriate framework. We need a fresh start.”
The decision does not include organic agriculture. He added that the funds from the canceled programs “will be redirected to other priorities, which we will announce soon.” He also noted that “we are in full coordination with Brussels, and they are fully informed about the situation.”
The Secretary General of Rural Development and Food, Spyros Protopsaltis, explained the extent of the problem, saying the inspections carried out “highlighted problems that we cannot ignore.There were cases where 300 hives were declared and during the inspection only three were found, while in other cases we found nothing.”
According to ministry data, the number of organic producers increased by 250% in the period 2020-2024, reaching 119,000 in 2024, from approximately 34,000 producers in 2020.
At the same time, the demand for inclusion in organic farming programs exceeded the available resources. In agriculture, applications submitted amounted to €398 million, against an available budget of €172 million, or 231% of the available resources. In beekeeping, applications amounted to €166 million, against a budget of €19 million, or 874%, and in livestock farming, applications would require a total of €136 million, against a budget of €115 million.
Schinas explained that the Task Force is preparing proposals for a new and more reliable framework for the organic sector. The plan is expected to include a new system of inspections and sanctions, digital tools, training initiatives, and the promotion of reforms.