Background information

The large-scale fires that broke out in May and the first few days of August 2023 affected the municipalities of Aljezur, Monchique and Odemira, causing the destruction of pastures used to feed cattle, sheep and goats. The scale of this destruction implies an unexpected and significant increase in the cost of production for these farms, since the removal of pastures means that the animals now have to be fed by buying food on the market.

The Government therefore considered it a priority to create support for livestock producers with a view to acquiring animal feed. This extraordinary support was created by Order 11/2023 of 22 August 2023.

It turns out that, in addition the fires also jeopardised the feeding of bees from bee farms whose apiaries are located close to the burnt areas, depriving the bees of the natural food that these areas provided.

Therefore, it has also become a priority to utilise the financial allocation set out in Order 11/2023 to address the equally difficult situation of beekeepers whose holdings were also affected, directly or indirectly, by the large-scale fires in the same municipalities. This was provided by Order 13/2023 of 25 September 2023.

Content of measure

The Ministry of Agriculture and Food, through Order 11/2023, provides extraordinary support to farmers, natural or legal persons, whose cattle, sheep and goat livestock were affected by the fires that occurred in the municipalities of Aljezur, Monchique and Odemira, during the month of May and in the first few days of August 2023.

This financial support programme has a total allocation of €25,000, based on the number of livestock and the area affected. The amount of support is calculated according to the following figures:

1. Cattle: €38 per male or female aged 24 months or over; €25 per male or female under the age of 24 months.
2. Sheep and goats: €13 per sheep or goat.

Furthermore, Order 13/2023, sharing the same total allocation of €25,000, creates a support programme for beekeepers whose apiaries were directly or indirectly affected by fires that broke out in May and the first days of August 2023, whose apiaries are located up to 1.5 km away from the burnt area in the municipalities of Aljezur, Monchique and Odemira.

The amount of support to which beekeepers are entitled is €6.80 per hive of each apiary.

Use of measure

No information is available on the use of this measure.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	Sector specific set of companies	Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government	National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	No involvement	No involvement
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• No involvement
• Main level of involvement: N/A

Involvement

Social partners were not involved.

Views and reactions

The views of social partners on the measure are not known.

Sectors and occupations

This case is not occupation-specific.

Sources

• 22 August 2023: Despacho Normativo 11/2023 (diariodarepublica.pt)
• 25 September 2023: Despacho Normativo 13/2023 (diariodarepublica.pt)