Grants for planting strawberry trees: PEPAC support of up to 90% of the investment
We explain, in a simple and practical way, how the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) supports the planting and management of strawberry trees.
We focus exclusively on strawberry tree cultivation, addressing the available support, which can cover up to 90% of the initial investment and guarantee maintenance subsidies of up to €1,200/ha. Our approach is practical and objective, helping you structure your project efficiently, reducing risks (we start by analysing the land on a map, to apply only for the area that is actually eligible) and ensuring the best use of the available support.
How do the CAP and the CAP Strategic Plan 2023–2027 work?
CAP is the European Union policy that funds agriculture and forestry; in Portugal, it is implemented through the 2023-2027 PEPAC, with two pillars: investment and rural development, and annual direct payments.
The CAP plays an essential role in supporting the agricultural and forestry sectors, promoting investment, modernisation, and sustainability of farms.
The 2023-27 PEPAC (Strategic Plan for the Common Agricultural Policy is the EU framework for the CAP for the 2023-2027 period) defines the investments and support in the form of subsidies for Portugal, promoting modernisation and sustainability.
The two pillars of support:
Investment and Rural Development – Supports modernisation, innovation, and sustainability.
Direct Payments – Annual subsidies to ensure income and environmentally friendly practices.
Is the strawberry tree supported as a farm crop or as forestry?
Both: the strawberry tree is one of the few species supported both as an agricultural orchard and as forestry (afforestation of agricultural and non-agricultural land).
Agricultural : strawberry tree orchards and agricultural management, regardless of the purpose of the fruit, its use or drainage channels.
- Forestry : reforestation of agricultural and non-agricultural land. With or without consociation with other forest species.
Given its productive and ecological potential, the strawberry tree represents an excellent opportunity for landowners interested in benefiting from CAP support. Support reduces project risk and investment value, thus ensuring both economic viability and long-term environmental benefits.
What is the PAC and the PEPAC 23-27 program?
The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is the main instrument supporting the European Union's agricultural and forestry sector. The CAP Strategic Plan (PEPAC) 2023-2027 defines the financing rules and support available to Portugal, focusing on the modernisation, sustainability and profitability of agricultural and forestry holdings.
The CAP is structured around two main pillars:
- 2nd Pillar: Rural Development – Finances structural investments in agricultural and forestry activities, aiming at innovation, modernization and sustainability.
- 1st Pillar: Direct Payments and Market Measures – Includes annual support for farmers, ensuring income stability and encouraging sustainable practices.
2nd Pillar: Rural Development
What does PEPAC 23-27 prioritize?
PEPAC 23-27 gives priority to projects that promote:
- Environmental and climate sustainability
- Efficiency in the use of resources
- Innovation and digitalization
- Enhancement of rural areas
Which PEPAC measures support investment in strawberry trees?
For orchards: farm modernisation (up to 85%), Young Farmer (a grant of up to €55,000 and investment support of up to 80%) and small investments (up to 50%). For forestry: afforestation (up to 95%) and agroforestry systems (up to 90%).
Main relevant aids for the Medronho sector
PEPAC distinguishes measures for agriculture and forestry.
Intervention Measures and Investment Support
Agricultural Support - Strawberry Tree Orchards
What support is available to modernise a farm? (C.2.1.1)
Up to 85% of eligible investment in machinery, buildings, planting and irrigation, for those with farmer status.
- Objective : To strengthen the competitiveness of agricultural holdings. These investments consist, in particular, of the acquisition and installation of machinery and equipment, construction of buildings, land improvements, plantations, nurseries and irrigation systems.
- Beneficiaries : Individuals or legal entities, of a public or private nature, who respect the condition of farmer.
- Non-refundable support rate : Up to 85% of eligible investment
What grant does a young farmer receive when setting up? (C.2.2.1)
A fixed amount of up to €55,000 per beneficiary, when first setting up as the person responsible for the farm.
Objective : To support the first installation of young farmers
- Beneficiaries : Young farmers who are setting up as farmers for the first time as those responsible for their holdings, including legal entities that take the form of limited liability companies and have agricultural activity as their corporate purpose, provided that the managing partners who are young farmers hold the majority of the share capital and individually a stake of more than 25% in the share capital.
- Non-refundable support : Fixed amount per beneficiary up to a maximum of €55,000
What support is available for a young farmer to invest? (C.2.2.2)
Up to 80% of eligible investment in planting, irrigation, machinery and buildings.
- Objective : To support investments in young farmers' farms. These investments consist, in particular, of the acquisition and installation of machinery and equipment, construction of buildings, land improvements, plantations, nurseries and irrigation systems.
Beneficiaries : Young farmers who are setting up as farmers for the first time as those responsible for their holdings, including legal entities that take the form of limited liability companies and have agricultural activity as their corporate purpose, provided that the managing partners who are young farmers hold the majority of the share capital and individually a stake of more than 25% in the share capital.
- Non-refundable support rate : Up to 80% of eligible investment
Is there support for small agricultural investments? (D 1.1.1)
Yes, up to 50% of eligible costs, in areas with a Local Development Strategy (Local Action Groups).
- Objective : Support investment in agricultural installation or modernization
- Beneficiaries : Applicable in all territories included in the Local Development Strategies approved by the PEPAC Management Authority on the Mainland, following the opinion of the Selection Committee.
- Non-refundable support rate : Up to 50% of eligible costs
Is there support for the training of young farmers? (C.5.2)
Yes, for training bodies: up to €150,000 of eligible expenditure per action plan.
Objective : To promote the necessary skills of young farmers at an early stage of their establishment.
- Beneficiaries : Legal entity, private or public, which on the date of submission of the application is legally constituted, established, with activity in mainland Portugal, alone or in partnership, with technical skills in the identified areas.
- Non-refundable support : The maximum amount of eligible expenditure is limited to €150,000 per action plan.
Is there support for specialised technical assistance? (C.5.5)
Yes, for bodies with technical expertise: up to €90,000 per action plan.
- Objective : To contribute to strengthening the skills of beneficiaries (direct or indirect) of other PEPAC interventions
- Beneficiaries : Legal entity, private or public, operating in mainland Portugal, alone or in partnership, with technical skills in the identified areas.
Non-refundable support rate : Simplified costs in the form of indirect costs on human resources expenses of 35%; Maximum value of 90 thousand euros per action plan.
Intervention Measures and Investment Support
Forestry Support - Strawberry Trees in the Forest
Is there support for processing strawberry tree fruit, for example in a distillery? (C.3.1.1)
Yes, up to 65% of eligible investment for the food, drinks, wood and cork industries, or for farm and forestry support services.
- Objective : To contribute to the consolidation of the agro-industrial fabric and the forestry industry. The project to be supported must have the following economic framework: Food, beverage and wood industry, cork (NACE Codes C10, C11, C16) or activities supporting agriculture/forestry (NACE Codes A01.6 and A02.4).
- Beneficiaries : Individuals or legal entities, legally constituted with bioeconomy activity associated with agriculture/forestry.
- Non-refundable support rate : Up to 65% of eligible investment
What support is available for planting strawberry trees on land? (C.3.2.1)
Up to 95% of planting costs, with priority for non-agricultural land covered in scrub.
Objective : To support the establishment of forest stands (tree species and perennial woody silvicultural shrub species). Priority will be given to the afforestation of non-agricultural land, namely areas with scrubland.
- Beneficiaries : Public, community or private entities and their associations, holders of agricultural and non-agricultural land
- Non-refundable support rate : Up to 95% of the installation cost
What support is available for installing agroforestry systems? (C.3.2.2)
Up to 90% of eligible investment, including the Forest Management Plan and preliminary studies.
- Objective : Support for the installation, regeneration or renewal of extensive agroforestry systems, using
species well adapted to local conditions. Support for the preparation of a Forest Management Plan or equivalent instrument, and preparation of the application and other studies prior to the implementation of the project, for individual farms, for ZIF, AIGP, common lands and entities
collective forest management.
- Beneficiaries : Holders of private, community and municipal land (provided they are in directly managed areas), and their respective associations.
- Non-refundable support rate : Up to 90% of eligible investment
Is there support to prevent forest fires and pests? (C.3.2.3)
Yes, up to 90% of the costs.
- Objective : To support investments in preventing damage caused to forests by rural fires, natural disasters and catastrophic events.
- Beneficiaries : Public, community or private holders, and their associations, of forest territories.
- Non-refundable support rate : Up to 90% of the installation cost
Is there support for restoring forest after a fire or disaster? (C.3.2.4)
Yes, up to 100% of eligible costs.
- Objective : Intervention at the level of forestry and agroforestry farms
- Beneficiaries : Public, community or private holders and their associations of forest territories
- Non-refundable support rate : Up to 100% of eligible cost
Is there support for replacing low-yield stands? (C.3.2.6)
Yes, up to 65% of eligible investment, replacing them with species better suited to the site.
- Objective : To carry out investments aimed at improving the economic value of the forest. To support the recovery of stands in clear underproduction, by replacing them with plants better adapted to local conditions.
- Beneficiaries : Holders of private, community or municipal forest territories and their associations.
- Non-refundable support rate : Up to 65% of eligible investment
Is there a maintenance incentive for forested areas? (C.3.2.8)
Yes, up to €238/ha to maintain areas afforested with PEPAC support.
- Objective : Maintenance and management of areas associated with afforestation investments and creation of wooded areas, within the scope of the PEPAC intervention
- Beneficiaries : PEPAC beneficiaries within the scope of interventions relating to investments in afforestation and creation of wooded areas, namely in the interventions: «Afforestation of Agricultural and Non-Agricultural Land»; «Installation of Agroforestry Systems» and «Reestablishment of Forests Affected by Biotic and Abiotic Agents or by Catastrophic Events»
- Non-refundable support : Up to €238/ha
Is there support available to help an operation recover after a disaster? (C.4.1.3)
Yes, up to 100% of the eligible cost, when the calamity is officially recognised.
- Objective: Reconstitution or restoration of the production conditions of agricultural holdings affected by natural calamities, adverse weather events or officially recognised catastrophic events, in order to create conditions for their return to normal activity.
- Beneficiaries: Natural or legal persons whose agricultural holdings suffer significant reductions in their respective agricultural and land productive potential as a result of officially recognised natural disasters or calamities
- Non-repayable grant rate: Up to 100% of the eligible cost
When do PEPAC notices open?
The opening dates are in the PEPAC Annual Call Schedule and may change throughout the year.
Consult the updated dates in the following document: (2026 Annual Call Schedule)
What is a non-repayable grant?
Non-refundable grants are subsidies granted without the need for reimbursement, covering part or all of the eligible costs. They are used to encourage strategic investments and reduce the financial risks of beneficiaries.
For example, if the total cost of a project to establish a strawberry tree orchard is €50,000 and there is a non-repayable grant covering 90%, this means you receive €45,000 in funding without the need for reimbursement. Therefore, the farmer only needs to invest €5,000 of their own funds.
Where do you apply for investment support?
Applications are submitted through the agriculture funds portal.
Submission and strict documentary justification in accordance with the call, ordinance and OT is decisive for approval; specialised technical assistance is recommended given the complexity of the processes
What is VGO in competitions?
The VGO (Overall Value of the Operation) is the 0 to 20 score used to rank applications when there is not enough funding for all of them; each call sets its own criteria.
Each measure has eligibility criteria, as well as criteria for evaluating and scoring applications (VGO). The VGO value ranges from 0 to 20 points.
There is a need to highlight situations in which there is no financial allocation for a measure for all projects that are viable (technical and financial coherence).
When can I apply? What do I need to prepare?
Only while the measure's call is open, according to PEPAC's Annual Plan; as deadlines are short, prepare the land study, the project and the approvals in advance.
These calls for applications generally have short submission deadlines and the annual opening plan may be subject to changes, making it less predictable.
Applications should be planned in advance, including:
Site assessment: eligible area, constraints and factors that enhance the application
- A clear definition of the objective for the agricultural or forestry operation helps to choose the best measure
- Project definition, eligible expenses and cash flow requirements
- Approvals from entities such as ICNF, REN, RAN, Natural Park and Natura 2000, Municipal Councils, APA and others
- Technical and financial feasibility studies
Application deadlines are short. Those who already have their land assessed gain weeks.
Is my land eligible? How can I find out before applying?
It depends on the site: before applying we check on the map what could block it (forest zoning, REN, Natura 2000, protected trees, previous projects) and what adds points.
What may hinder eligibility: forest management zones where strawberry trees are ineligible, the National Ecological Reserve (REN), Natura 2000 sites, protected trees, and commitments under previous projects.
What may add points: disadvantaged areas, susceptibility to desertification, fire risk, and territories covered by a Local Action Group.
An application that starts with the land scores higher in the VGO.
When are investment subsidies paid?
After the expenses have been incurred and paid, payment requests are submitted; the exception is the Young Farmer installation grant.
Non-repayable subsidies can cover 90% of the costs of establishing an orchard or strawberry tree forest.
It is important to emphasize that payments to the farmer are only made after the expenses have been incurred. This means that the farmer must pay first and will only receive the subsidy later (except for the Young Farmer measure installation grant).
Proper planning and technical support allow the farmer to carry out the work and request reimbursements in stages, thereby reducing their cash flow requirements.
1st Pillar: Direct Payments and Market Measures
Main relevant aids for the Strawberry Tree row
Direct Payments and Market Measures
Agricultural and Forestry Support
Direct Payments:
- Basic Payment Scheme (RPB) "Rights"
- Redistributive support
- Payments to small farmers
Agro-environmental and Eco-Regimes:
- Organic Production Method
- Integrated Production Mode
Rural Development:
- Support for farms in disadvantaged areas
- Afforestation of Agricultural Land (support for loss of income and forest maintenance)
- Sensitive Areas
- Natura 2000 payments
How are direct payments requested?
By the annual Single Application, submitted by a technician accredited by IFAP; the dates and rules for each year are defined by IFAP.
Unlike investment support, Direct Payments can only be submitted by a technician accredited by IFAP.
The process is annual and is carried out through the "Single Application". the application dates and specific rules for the year are defined by IFAP.
What is IFAP?
The IFAP (Institute for the Financing of Agriculture and Fisheries) is the public body in Portugal responsible for the management and payment of financial support (agricultural and forestry) from the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
I already have strawberry trees on my land but I have never received any subsidies. Can I still apply for support?
Yes, you can. Having made the investment on your own does not prevent you from applying for support. You may be eligible for:
- Support for agricultural or forestry maintenance
- Other incentives, as long as it meets the requirements demanded of the exploration and the promoter
Assessing these conditions is the first step — we can help you identify opportunities.
What are the stages of an application for a Community fund?
Three phases: feasibility assessment, application preparation and execution with payment requests.
1. Feasibility assessment
- Legal constraints (REN, RAN, ICNF, Natural Park, etc.)
- Promoter profile
- → See how we conduct this assessment, with a real-life example
2. Application preparation
- Technical project, budgets, forms
3. Execution and payments
- Project implementation
- Submission of payment requests and supporting documents
We support you through all these phases
The land where I want to plant strawberry trees is not in my name. Can I apply for community funds?
Yes, you can. You do not need to be the legal owner. You just need to prove that you have the right to use and exploit the land, through a Lease Agreement or Loan Agreement.
I have an abandoned family plot overgrown with weeds. Can I plant strawberry trees with support from PEPAC?
Yes, it is possible. Many derelict plots have potential for productive projects. However, not all tenders apply to all types of land or developers. It is necessary to analyse:
- The legal and environmental constraints
- The current state of the land
- The suitability of the project for the objectives of the notice in force
We carry out this analysis on a map before spending money on clearing: what can be converted, what must remain, and how much it can yield. View example →
I have previously received support under another scheme (RURIS, PRODER, RDP 2020). Can I apply again for the same land?
Yes, you can. Having completed previous projects does not prevent you from submitting new projects on the same land.
Each PEPAC call for proposals has its own eligibility rules and specific objectives. It is essential to assess the feasibility of your new project in light of the rules of the call in question.
When analysing the land, we cross-reference your property with the projects and commitments already registered, so that we know in advance what counts.
