Subsidies on vegetable products brought by farmers to the pitkali market last year could not be paid in time because the outgoing Nationalist administration had spent most of the allocated funds on unrelated items just before the election.

Calling it “a shameful example” of how the Opposition was trying to get political mileage out of a situation left behind by the PN administration, Minister Leo Brincat said the Special Market Policy Programme for Maltese Agriculture in 2013 had been allocated €2.3 million to cover subsidies for the tomato, vines, fruit and vegetable sectors.

Between January and March of that year, the PN administration had spent over €2.1 million to make good for payment of arrears in other sectors for which there had been no funds. The funds had found their way to the drafting of the National Agricultural Policy, studies, cattle and pig breeders, cooperative members and subsidy arrears, which had been due on 2011 and 2012.

Mr Brincat said only €176,573 remained, when the subsidy for 2012 alone amounted to €737,000. The payment had now been made from funds allocated for Budget 2014.

The subsidies for 2013 were estimated to amount to €700,000, together with €760,000 in additional subsidies for vines for 2012 and €170,000 in subsidies to the pitkali.

Mr Brincat said talks were under way with the Ministry of Finance with a view to an adequate provision being made for Budget 2015.