MEP Peter Agius publishes correspondence with the European Commission showing that farm funds are going to government agencies

Following several complaints from farmers that European funds intended for the production of healthy and local foods are going to government agencies, I now have evidence from the European Commission that €3.8 million supposedly dedicated to farmers actually went into agency spending and so-called ‘forest’ measures, said MEP Peter Agius.

He published correspondence with the European Commission showing that the government requested that €3.8 million in funds that were dedicated to farming initiatives such as ‘young farmers’ and purchase of machinery for farmers would be set aside to be spent on a measure allocating money to ‘forestry’.

‘This unfortunately shows that having healthy and local food is not a priority for the government. This is very worrying and should be of concern to all Maltese families because food security in Malta has never been so bad with various farms closing down and farmers leaving the industry. We will be completely reliant on non-guaranteed imported products if we lose the farmer,’ said MEP Peter Agius.

MEP Agius’ correspondence with European Commissioner Christophe Hansen states that the Maltese Government’s Rural Development Fund Programme adopted on 4 November 2025 shifts €3.8 million from the European Union contribution to investment in forest areas and forest development as well as improving the viability of forests in Malta.

Peter Agius said that this correspondence clearly shows a long-standing phenomenon in the administration of European funds by the Maltese Government and that until now had been kept under wraps that much needed European funds to support and strengthen Maltese farming were actually being used for other purposes.

‘It is ironic that instead of looking at how to encourage young farmers, the Government is instead dedicating itself to the viability of forests in Malta.’

Agius explained that while investment in trees and green spaces in is important, this should never be to the detriment of food security. He explained that while the government boasted that it has paid €86 million in payments from the Arpa Agency,  dozens of farmers have been waiting for more than a year for contracts for the supply of the necessary machinery to be issued and for the necessary agricultural structures to be created.

There are also several farmers, butchers and wine and olive oil producers who participated in the last call for food processors whose requests were pending because while qualifying for European funds these same funds were expected to be taken over by government agencies which applied for the same funds.

‘All this shows that the government has shifted away from aiding Maltese farming and the ability of Maltese farmers to sustain the population with a local product. Instead of investing in the farmers and fishermen, it was seeing how to spend European funds in 'easier' ways. This is a tragedy which I, as an MEP for Malta and Gozo, am doing my part both in Malta and in Europe to make sure we avoid. Our children's food in the future depends on this,’ MEP Agius concluded.