The closing date for applications in the second tranche of the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS II) is this Friday 25 March.

The third tranche for the schemes opens for applications the following day and will close by the end of June.

This process of a tranche closing and another one simultaneously opening will continue until 2020.

All applications in a tranche are processed together and go through a marking scheme, with approvals for investments issued later. Investments cannot be made until approvals are issued.

Over 1,800 farmers are still waiting for approvals for their applications in the first tranche of TAMS II.

Last week, the Department of Agriculture stated that the remaining approvals from the first tranche of TAMS II will flow after the end of March and payments for completed works will not commence until June.

According to agricultural consultants, many farmers applied for aid for lower- cost investments rather than large ones, such as animal housing or dairy parlours, in the second tranche of TAMS II.