Talks on aid for drought-hit farms yield no breakthrough for now

At the centre of the debate are the existing drought aid measures, whose disbursement, from the perspective of those affected, is progressing only sluggishly. Several interest groups point out that numerous businesses have been pushed into an existential situation as a result of the ongoing drought and are in need of short-term liquidity.

Chamber of Commerce supports the line

The Chamber of Commerce has also joined the discussion. It fundamentally supports the demand for swift relief for the agricultural businesses and points to the macroeconomic importance of a functioning domestic food production.

Norbert Totschnig, who as Agriculture Minister is responsible for the disbursement of the aid, is therefore under growing pressure. From the ranks of the SPÖ, the FPÖ and the Neos, both the speed of the process and the amount of the funds previously earmarked are being criticised.

Political pressure on Totschnig

The political dispute is increasingly expanding into a fundamental question of trust. Deputy faction chair Stainer-Hämmerle said: "Es geht jetzt nicht nur um die betroffenen Betriebe. Es geht um das Vertrauen der Bevölkerung, ob die Regierung noch in der Lage ist, in Krisensituationen der Bevölkerung zu helfen. Heute den Bauern, morgen vielleicht einer anderen Gruppe."

The role of the governing parties ÖVP and SPÖ is also at the centre of this. In recent weeks, both sides have attributed responsibility for the delays to the other. A further round of talks announced for the coming days is now expected to bring movement to the stalled situation.

From Lower Austria, one of the federal states most severely affected by the drought, reports are increasing of businesses that have had to significantly reduce their harvest. Regional representatives unanimously demand that the federal level act swiftly to prevent a chain reaction in the food supply.

Open questions on disbursement

Experts point out that the AMA, as the disbursing body, is bound by existing deadlines and EU legal requirements. Bringing forward the payments to the end of October would therefore only be possible via a special arrangement or additional federal funds.

It remains unclear in what form the government will respond to the demands. Officially, the Ministry says it is examining all proposals and conducting the talks constructively. However, no concrete commitments were made on Wednesday.

The next round of negotiations is therefore considered decisive. Should no agreement be reached by then, a sharpening of the political dispute and possibly further protest actions by those affected can be expected.