Ljubljana - Final assessments of direct frost damage to agricultural crops due to a cold snap in Slovenia between 5 and 9 April last year have climbed up to just over EUR 40 million, the government said at Thursday's session, and tasked the Agriculture Ministry with setting up a damage remedy scheme.

The total damage exceeds the threshold for state aid in the event of natural disasters, which is set at 0.03% of the national budget revenue in the year when the disaster occurs, the Government Communication Office said after today's session.

The government thus tasked the Agriculture Ministry to set up a remedy scheme, based on the assessments of damage and in accordance with the measures to remedy the effects of frost on agricultural production.

In setting up the scheme, the ministry will also have to consolidate all the data and compare the current assessments of damage, the data submitted by frost-stricken farmers, and other records that could not be checked during the assessment process.

The extent of the damage was verified on 20 December last year by the commission for the evaluation of damage caused by natural and other disasters. All of the assessment costs will also be covered by the state budget, the government concluded at today's session.