HORTICULTURAL owners and businesses are being reminded they only have June 19 to apply for major European funding.

The money is a share of £300,000 of European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, which is part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme.

From March this year the EAFRD funding was made available to Worcestershire businesses that propose projects which contribute strongly to growth in the horticulture sector, with the opportunity to receive grants from £35,000 up to approximately £100,000.

Gary Woodman, executive director of Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership, said: "Worcestershire LEP is one of five LEPs to utilise EAFRD funding to support new and expanding businesses. We want to see an increase in rural jobs, particularly in higher-paid, more highly-skilled jobs and in Gross Value Added to the rural economy. We would, therefore, urge interested parties to come forward in this call for funding before the June 19 deadline.”

Applicants must be Worcestershire-based horticulture owners and businesses who are able to demonstrate that their project proposal would not occur without grant funding. Priority will be given to projects which invest in equipment to support growth and accelerate the adoption of new technology to improve productivity in the sector. All applications must provide 60 per cent of the project cost to receive up to a maximum grant of 40 per cent.

For further information on ESIF funding visit the gov.uk website or a direct link is available on the Worcestershire LEP’s website at www.wlep.co.uk for more information on the EAFRD funding contact Jo Jury at jo.jury@rpa.gsi.gov.uk or by phoning 01905 768854.