“The aim of this crisis relief is to support the milk and pork sectors, who are facing difficult conditions, and to help stabilize the market,” Minister of Rural Affairs Tarmo Tamm (Center) said on Saturday.

“The European Commission has allocated a total of €8.08m to Estonia to this end, and the new government coalition has decided to pay the same amount,” Tamm said.

The minister added that they were working to pay out the subsidies as soon as possible to give farmers the possibility to continue production. The payments are based on a farmer’s number of livestock, for pig farmers as of May 1, and for milk farmers as of Dec. 1, 2016.

Milk farmers have to meet at least one out of three main conditions to receive the subsidy: they are small producers, they are not currently expanding production, or they are part of a rural development program. The same conditions apply for pig farmers.

Those farmers ready to sign an agreement to the effect that they won’t increase their livestock until at least May 1, 2017 can also apply for support.

The bill submitted by the ministry for evaluation plans to make the payments between Jan. 30 and Feb. 8, 2017.