Groundbreaking SPS payment performance continues
The Rural Payments Agency has achieved its end of March SPS payment target more than five weeks ahead of schedule, paying 98.4 percent of SPS customers and 97.2 percent of the estimated fund value by 19 February 2013.
The Rural Payments Agency has achieved its end of March SPS payment target more than five weeks ahead of schedule, paying 98.4 percent of SPS customers and 97.2 percent of the estimated fund value by 19 February 2013.
This is the best ever performance on the part of the Agency which has now paid £1.6 billion to more than 102,000 English farmers. It means that it has exceeded both of its domestic performance targets this year as well as achieving the benchmark set by the EU a full four months early.
RPA Chief Executive, Mark Grimshaw, said:
“This is good news for the RPA and clearly demonstrates our commitment to delivering an excellent, trusted service to our customers.
“But even more importantly, this is good news for English farmers and producers, with the overwhelming majority receiving vital funds in record time.
“We continue to concentrate our efforts on paying the 1,500 customers whose claims need further work before payment can be made.”
Farming Minister David Heath said:
“The Rural Payments Agency has delivered a first class service to English farmers this year, exceeding each of its SPS targets by some way.
“I congratulate everyone at the Agency on a sterling performance. Well over £1.6 billion has now been paid to more than 102,000 farmers and this will be particularly welcome news to the industry during what has been a very challenging time.”
RPA met its end of December SPS target on the first banking day of this year’s payment window, paying more than £1.38 billion to more than 95,000 farmers.
These payments, reaching 91.4 percent of RPA’s SPS customers, represented 84.6 percent of the estimated fund value.
