The primary sector of the Balearic Islands has received €38,252,234.04 in direct Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) payments for the 2025 campaign, consolidating the increase in financial support for farmers and livestock breeders since the introduction of the 2023-2027 CAP and the recognition of the specific challenges associated with insularity.
The amount represents an increase of €879,299.76 compared with 2024, equivalent to 2.35%. The difference is considerably greater when compared with 2022, before the current CAP framework came into force. Since then, direct support has risen by €10,845,653.28, or 39.6%.
Recognition of the insularity factor is intended to compensate for part of the structural additional costs faced by agricultural and livestock holdings across the archipelago. The evolution of CAP payments reflects this change: the Balearic primary sector received €27.4 million in 2022, €35.6 million in 2023 and €37.3 million in 2024, before reaching €38.25 million in 2025.
TDB keeps you informed. Follow us on: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
CAP 2025 provides almost €40 million to the Balearic Islands’ primary sector and consolidates the insularity factor
By island, Mallorca has received €30,117,949.15, followed by Menorca with €7,202,952.17, Ibiza with €832,232.80 and Formentera with €98,831.05. Overall, the different CAP 2025 support schemes have reached 4,710 farmers and livestock breeders: 4,003 in Mallorca, 385 in Menorca, 287 in Ibiza and 35 in Formentera.
Income support continues to account for the largest share of CAP funding. Basic income support represents more than €18 million, while complementary redistributive income support exceeds €3.7 million. Additional support for young farmers amounts to almost €2 million.
Among coupled support schemes, €3.07 million has been allocated to extensive sheep and goat meat farming, €1.48 million to cow’s milk production and €1.28 million to nuts. More than €630,000 has also been allocated to sheep and goat farming without pasture, while extensive beef cattle farming receives more than €370,000.
Eco-schemes continue to play an important role in promoting more sustainable agricultural practices. Crop rotation involving improving species receives more than €2.6 million, spontaneous or sown vegetation covers account for almost €2.2 million, and extensive grazing exceeds €1.7 million. Funding is also available for biodiversity areas and practices combining mowing and biodiversity management on grassland.
Alongside the completion of the 2025 campaign, the application period for the 2026 CAP has already closed. A total of 4,652 applications have been registered, representing a 3.2% decrease compared with the previous call. However, the agricultural area declared remains practically stable, indicating that the decline is mainly associated with changes in the number and structure of farm holders rather than a reduction in productive agricultural land.
One of the most significant developments for 2026 concerns coupled support for nuts, which has attracted 966 new applicants following the removal of the slope requirement. This change substantially increases the area in the Balearic Islands that can potentially qualify for the scheme. Several eco-schemes have also recorded increases, particularly those involving mowing and biodiversity on grassland, vegetation covers and biodiversity areas.
The results of the 2025 campaign strengthen the case for preserving the insularity factor in the CAP framework after 2027. The priority for future European negotiations is to maintain sufficient agricultural funding while ensuring that the specific circumstances affecting island territories continue to be recognised.
The regional agricultural authorities consider compensation for the higher costs associated with farming on islands essential to strengthening the competitiveness of agricultural holdings, maintaining primary-sector activity and supporting the transition towards a more resilient, sustainable and competitive agricultural model in the Balearic Islands.