Grant for Orchard Establishment in 2026: the Unified Farm Grant
Since 2026 the Agrostartap grant and the family farm grant have been merged into one grant of up to RUB 30 million. We go through the conditions, tiers and obligations, the cost list, the question of saplings and what to confirm with the regional ministry before applying.
In short: since 2026 the Agrostartap grant and the family farm grant have been merged into a single farm development grant of up to RUB 30 million, and the applicant must put in at least 10% of the project cost. The grant can pay for part of an orchard: its cost list includes land, buildings and structures, fencing of fruit and berry plantings and equipment, while planting material for perennial plantings sits in another line, reimbursement of up to 60% of costs. This article is not legal advice: conditions and selection dates are set by the regional ministry of agriculture.
What the unified grant is and who can receive it
The unified grant is formally called the farm development grant: regional budget funds, co-financed federally, for costs that other state support lines do not reimburse.
Agriculture Minister Oksana Lut announced the merger of Agrostartap and family farm support into one grant of up to RUB 30 million on 25 May 2026 (as reported by Interfax). The rules are in appendix 22(4) to Government Decree No. 717 as amended by Decree No. 934 of 24.07.2026 (in force from 1 August 2026), introduced by Decree No. 2110. A regional project selection commission awards the money, and it must be used within 18 months of receipt. Conditions in the text of the decree:
- Applicant. A peasant (farmer) enterprise with two or more members of the head’s family, including the head, or a sole proprietor who heads such an enterprise. The main activity is production or processing of agricultural products.
- Registration. At least 12 months in a rural area or rural agglomeration. For the RUB 5 million and RUB 8 million tiers the period may be shorter, and the applicant may be a citizen who commits to register the farm or become a sole proprietor within 30 calendar days after the commission’s decision.
- Earlier support. The grant is not given to a farm whose membership includes a farm member who previously received grants under the state programme (other than the Agrotourism, small rural bakery and dairy farm acceleration grants) (item 13(d) of appendix 22(4), as amended by Decree No. 934 of 24.07.2026, from 1 August 2026).
- Output growth. At least 7% a year for at least 5 years from the date the grant is received; for a project with perennial fruit crops the count starts from the 3rd year after the grant is received, and for a project with berry crops from the 2nd year (appendix 22(4), item 12(b), as amended by Decree No. 934 of 24.07.2026, in force from 1 August 2026).
- Jobs. At least two new permanent employees if the grant is RUB 5 million or more, and at least one if it is smaller; the head of the farm or the sole proprietor counts.
- Land. Documents confirming rights to the plot where production takes place or is planned. Confirm the term of the rights and the form of proof in the regional procedure.
How much is paid and how much you put in yourself
The grant comes in four tiers from RUB 5 million to RUB 30 million, and the higher the tier, the smaller the grant’s share of the project cost and the larger the applicant’s own funds.
| Grant tier | Grant share of project cost | Applicant’s own funds |
|---|---|---|
| Up to RUB 5 million | No more than 90% | At least 10% |
| Up to RUB 8 million | No more than 80% | At least 20% |
| Up to RUB 15 million | No more than 70% | At least 30% |
| Up to RUB 30 million | No more than 60% | At least 40% |
Arithmetic from the table: for a RUB 20 million project in the “up to RUB 15 million” tier the grant cannot exceed RUB 14 million (70%), and own funds are at least RUB 6 million (30%). For the two upper tiers the decree allows the region to provide part of the project cost, no more than 20%; whether this applies to you, confirm with the ministry. The minimum grant is RUB 3 million: the commission does not consider a project whose cost includes a smaller grant.
What the grant can pay for and whether saplings count
Saplings are not named in the grant’s cost list: planting material for perennial plantings belongs to another line, reimbursement of up to 60% of a farm’s costs under item 7(b).
The grant cost list was approved by Ministry of Agriculture Order No. 185 of 30.03.2026. The items that matter for an orchard are these.
| Cost | Where it is listed |
|---|---|
| Purchase of agricultural land for the project | Farm development grant (item 7(a)) |
| Construction, repair and modernisation of buildings and structures, including fencing of fruit and berry plantings | Grant |
| Connecting buildings and structures to electricity, water, gas and heat networks | Grant |
| Equipment for such buildings and structures, including installation (by OKPD 2 codes) | Grant |
| Planting material for establishing perennial plantings | Reimbursement of up to 60% of costs, up to RUB 20 million (appendix 22(4) to the State Programme, item 7(b); cost list in Order No. 185) |
| Tools, equipment, machinery and vehicles by OKPD 2 codes | Reimbursement (item 7(b)) |
The order does not list trellis, drip irrigation or hail netting as separate lines, and some items are defined by OKPD 2 codes. Which line your region assigns these costs to, and where it places the purchase of saplings, confirm with the regional ministry of agriculture. Official texts: Decree No. 717 and Order No. 185.
How the grant combines with orchard-establishment subsidies
The grant and reimbursement under item 7(b) can be received together if the grant project contains no costs that are reimbursed under item 7(b) (item 13 of appendix 22(4)).
It follows that the project splits like this: buildings, structures, fencing and equipment go into the grant project, while planting material and machinery are reimbursed separately. The refusal rule for earlier support (item 13(d)) applies to grants previously received under the state programme, so check your support history with the regional ministry. The per-hectare orchard-establishment subsidy is a separate line. Its rules and the Stavropol figures are covered in the article on orchard establishment subsidies, and we do not repeat them here.
One separate condition concerns where saplings come from. Decree No. 1722 of 01.11.2025 amended appendix 19 to the State Programme (in force from 1 January 2026): establishing intensive-type orchards requires planting material produced in Russia by agricultural producers (other than household plots and agricultural credit consumer cooperatives) or by scientific or educational organisations, and a project for establishing perennial plantings. This is a condition of the orchard-establishment line and does not apply to the unified grant. The supplier confirms the origin of a lot: request the documents before ordering and check them with the regional ministry. The documents that accompany a lot are described in the article on documents for saplings.
Stavropol Krai in 2026
For 2026 Stavropol Krai has set aside RUB 235.4 million for small-scale farming, of which RUB 87.1 million is for grants to farm enterprises.
The figures come from the Pobeda26 agency citing RBC (5 June 2026): 30 recipients will receive support under the federal project “Development of Small Agribusiness”, including funds from the regional budget.
| Line | Amount, RUB million |
|---|---|
| Grants for farm enterprise development | 87.1 |
| Reimbursement of part of farmers’ costs | 89.5 |
| Grants for veterans and participants of the special military operation and their family members | 30 |
| Subsidies for agricultural cooperatives | 16 |
| Agromotivator grants | 9.6 |
| Rural tourism | 3.2 |
| Total | 235.4 |
Application dates and the document list for the selection in Stavropol Krai are announced by the regional ministry of agriculture: check them on the ministry’s website before you apply. The nursery’s page for the region: Stavropol Krai.
Where to start and what to confirm with the regional ministry
Start by calculating the project and the number of saplings, and confirm the dates and procedure of selection with your regional ministry of agriculture.
- Choose the layout and rootstock, then calculate trees and lot cost in the calculator and check prices in the price list. For a 3.5 × 1.2 m layout that is 2,381 trees per hectare; at RUB 400 per category 3+ sapling (price list of 9 October 2026, VAT included) that is RUB 952,400 without a reserve for losses.
- Build the estimate across all cost lines: the per-hectare cost structure is covered in the article how much a hectare of orchard costs. Split the estimate into the grant project and the costs reimbursed separately.
- Put the questions below to the ministry and wait for the selection to be announced.
- Order saplings so that lifting falls in the planting window: October–November or March–April. Payment under our contract: 30% on signing, the balance 10 days before shipment.
What to confirm with the regional ministry of agriculture:
- Whether saplings go into the grant project or are reimbursed separately under item 7(b).
- From which date costs are recognised and whether a prepayment for saplings can be made before the commission decides.
- How the 7% annual output growth is counted for an orchard that is not yet fruiting.
- Selection dates for 2026–2027 and the document list.
- Which documents confirm the origin of the planting material.
The nursery agronomist advises on cultivars, rootstocks, layouts and planting dates. On request we prepare a turnkey orchard project with partner contractors: design, site preparation, trellis, irrigation and planting. Scope, price and regions are quoted on request. More on orchard types and layouts: intensive orchard.
Need a lot calculation for the estimate or agronomist advice?
Send the area, rootstock and planting layout. We will return the tree count with a reserve and the lot price from the price list, and advise on cultivars and timing. The minimum lot is 6,000 saplings, smaller lots start from 1,000, and the price of a small lot is given in the quote.
Sources
- Government Decree No. 717 of 14.07.2012 (as amended by Decree No. 934 of 24.07.2026, in force from 1 August 2026): text on Garant; Decree No. 934 of 24.07.2026; appendix 22(4) introduced by Decree No. 2110 of 23.12.2025; orchard-establishment conditions added by Decree No. 1722 of 01.11.2025
- Ministry of Agriculture Order No. 185 of 30.03.2026 approving the cost list: text on Garant
- Interfax, “The Ministry of Agriculture will support 2,500 small agribusinesses in 2026”, 25 May 2026
- Pobeda26 news agency, “RUB 235.4 million will be allocated to support small agribusiness in Stavropol Krai”, 5 June 2026
- Price list of the Sady Stavropolya nursery for autumn 2026 and spring 2027, stock as of 9 October 2026
The essentials, in brief.
What is the unified grant and how does it differ from Agrostartap?
Since 2026 Agrostartap and the family farm grant have been merged into one farm development grant of up to RUB 30 million (Ministry of Agriculture, May 2026). It is awarded in tiers of up to RUB 5, 8, 15 and 30 million, and own funds of 10% to 40% of the project cost are required depending on the tier.Can saplings be bought with the grant?
Under Ministry of Agriculture Order No. 185, planting material for establishing perennial plantings is in the reimbursement line of up to 60% of costs (item 7(b)) and is not named in the cost list of the grant itself. How your region places saplings in the project, confirm with the regional ministry of agriculture.How much of my own money do I need to put into the project?
At least 10% of the project cost for a grant of up to RUB 5 million, 20% for up to RUB 8 million, 30% for up to RUB 15 million and 40% for up to RUB 30 million. The minimum grant is RUB 3 million.Can I receive the grant and an orchard-establishment subsidy at the same time?
The decree allows the grant and reimbursement under item 7(b) together if the grant project contains no costs reimbursed under item 7(b). The refusal rule for earlier support (item 13(d)) applies to grants previously received under the state programme. The orchard-establishment subsidy is a separate line with its own conditions.Does the farm have to be registered in advance?
The farm must be registered in a rural area for at least 12 months. For the RUB 5 million and RUB 8 million tiers the period may be shorter, and a citizen may commit to register within 30 calendar days after the commission’s decision.When should I apply for the grant in Stavropol Krai?
Application dates and the document list for the selection in Stavropol Krai are announced by the regional ministry of agriculture: check them on the ministry’s website before you apply.
Related material
- 01Subsidies for laying an intensive orchard in 2026–2027What is known about subsidies for laying and caring for an orchard: the scope of support, density coefficients, Stavropol Krai figures for 2025 and 2026 and a checklist for a sapling buyer.Read article
- 02How much it costs to lay a hectare of an intensive apple orchardThe cost structure of a hectare of intensive apple orchard per a trade blog, a different scale from Michurinsk university and an exact calculation of the sapling line from the nursery price list.Read article
- 03Intensive orchard: what it is, layouts, cultivars and costsWhat an intensive orchard is under Government Decree No. 717, how it differs from a traditional one, which layouts and cultivars to count, what the costs consist of and the order of planting.Read article
Need saplings for your project?
We will match cultivars and rootstocks to your orchard scheme, price a lot from 6,000 units, and set a pickup window — fall 2026 or spring 2027.