The Welsh government has assured that the vast majority of Welsh farmers will receive their single farm payments on Thursday, the first day on which eligible farmers can receive the grant. The government said over 14,500 applications for the single farm payment have been processed promised nearly 90 per cent of these would be paid out on time.

Deputy agriculture minister Alun Davies made the announcement at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair being held today near Builth Wells. He said 88 per cent of farmers would receive their payments at the earliest opportunity and that over 90 per cent would have received theirs by the end of December; according to European Commission guidelines, payments can be made between 1st December and 30th June.

Welcoming the news, Emyr Jones, president of the Farmers' Union of Wales, told the BBC, "For many farmers this payment is the difference between profit and loss."