Food industry investment support opens in September: who can apply for support?
Estonian food and drink producers will have a new opportunity in September to receive investment grants through PRIA.of the food industry investment grant for the year2026The application period for the II round16. will open on . September.
The aim of the grant is to enhance the economic capacity and competitiveness of food industry businesses and to help them invest in new technology, automation, energy efficiency and the reduction of their environmental impact.
Applications must be submitted electronicallyvia e-PRIA.
Who is eligible to apply for investment grants in the food industry?
The support is not intended solely for large industrial companies.
Under the current terms and conditions, applicants may include micro, small, medium-sized and large enterprises whose main activity is the production of food or beverages and which meet the eligibility criteria for the measure.
In the case of food production, the measure generally covers the economic activities listed in EMTAK Section C, Sub-section 10, with the exception of the processing and preservation of fish, crustaceans and molluscs. In the case of beverage production, the measure concerns EMTAK sub-section 11.
Under certain conditions, micro- and small enterprises that have so far been engaged in agricultural production and wish to start processing their own produce may also apply for support.
This means that the measure may be of interest, for example, to a company wishing to move beyond simply selling raw materials and towards processing and packaging its own products or manufacturing products with higher added value.
What can the grant be used for?
The purpose of the grant is not to cover the company’s normal day-to-day running costs. The funds are intended for investments that make production more efficient, more modern, more competitive or more environmentally sustainable.
- digitalisation – equipment required for the digitalisation of production or processes;
- the introduction of new technology– more modern production and processing equipment;
- automation – equipment and solutions that automate production processes;
- reducing environmental impact– investments that improve energy and resource efficiency;
- improving security of supply – buildings or equipment needed to ensure production continuity;
- establishing a new processing plant or production unit – a building or equipment required for processing;
- certificates and quality labels – investments required to obtain or renew them;
- increasing processing capacity – buildings or equipment needed by micro and small enterprises.
Therefore, investment support does not mean only constructing a new production building. A suitable project may focus, for example, on a new production line, more energy-efficient equipment, automation, digitalisation or increasing existing production capacity.
How much support may be available?
Under the current conditions, the support may amount to 15–50% of the eligible costs of the investment.
The exact support rate depends on the size of the company, the nature of the investment and the type of state aid under which the support is granted.
For each applicant, the maximum amount of support over the entire 2023–2027 period of the CAP Strategic Plan may be up to 3,5 million euros.
The important phrase here is over the entire period. This does not mean that et ettevõte saab automaatselt 3,5 million euros are available specifically from the September 2026 application round.
Which companies should take a particularly close look at this opportunity?
Companies that already plan to make a major production investment in the near future should certainly look into this support.
These may include:
- bakery industry;
- meat products manufacturer;
- dairy products manufacturer;
- beverage manufacturer;
- a vegetable, fruit or berry grower wishing to start processing its own produce;
- a producer of ready meals or other food products;
- a smaller manufacturing company wishing to increase automation or production capacity.
Companies already planning to increase production capacity, reduce energy consumption, upgrade equipment or automate production should pay particular attention to this measure.
In such a case, it may be sensible to check whether the project meets the support conditions before the investment is finally launched.
Meeting the requirements alone may not be enough
The application round is competitive.
Applications are assessed, and eligible projects are ranked based on their assessment results.
Under the current conditions, an application from a micro or small enterprise must score at least 12 points, while an application from a medium-sized or large enterprise must score at least 18 points.
If the budget is insufficient to support all eligible projects, applications with higher assessment results will be given priority. In the event of a tie, a higher self-financing contribution may be one of the grounds for preference.
Therefore, an application should not be treated simply as a form that needs to be filled in by the deadline. The project’s content, its economic justification and the impact of the investment may be decisive in receiving support.
What should you check before submitting an application?
Before applying, an enterprise should review at least the following questions:
- whether the enterprise’s field of activity meets the conditions of the measure;
- whether the planned investment is eligible;
- which type of state aid the investment falls under;
- how much the enterprise’s self-financing contribution is;
- which price quotations are required;
- whether the documents related to construction or the purchase of equipment are ready;
- whether the enterprise’s financial indicators support the implementation of the investment;
- whether other public-sector support has already been received for the same cost.
For larger investments, attention should also be paid to price quotations, the procurement procedure and the justification for the investment.
It is therefore advisable to prepare the project before the application round opens, rather than starting to collect the necessary documents only in the final days.
When can an application be submitted?
According to information published by PRIA, the acceptance of applications for the 2026 round of investment support for the food industry in II will begin on 16 September 2026.
Applications are submittedvia the e-PRIA portal.
PRIA will make a decision to approve an application in full or in part, or to reject it,within 80 working days of the deadline for submitting applications.
The grant will be paid out once the funded activity has been carried out and the required documents have been submitted in accordance with the terms and conditions of the scheme.
What could a company do even before 16 September?
First of all, it is worth setting out as specifically as possible exactly what problem the investment is intended to solve.
Is the aim:
- to increase production capacity;
- reduce energy consumption;
- to automate production;
- introduce new technology;
- to reduce the company’s environmental impact;
- start processing their own agricultural produce;
- to improve the quality or competitiveness of products?
The more clearly a company can demonstrate the need for the investment, its economic impact and its link to the objectives of the grant, the stronger its application is likely to be.
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In brief
When does the application period start?
16 September 2026.
Who can apply for support?
Micro, small, medium-sized and large enterprises engaged in food and beverage production that meet the requirements, as well as, under certain conditions, micro and small agricultural enterprises starting processing.
How much support may be granted?
Under the current conditions, 15–50% of eligible costs. The maximum grant amount is on kogu strateegiakava perioodil kuni 3,5 million euros per applicant.
Where should the application be submitted?
In the e-PRIA environment.
When should preparations begin?
Before the application round opens, especially if the project involves construction, purchasing larger equipment or obtaining several price quotations.
The article has been prepared based on information from PRIA and the applicable support rules as of 2 September 2026. Since the application round has not yet opened at the time of writing, and PRIA’s pages provide conflicting information about the round’s deadline, we recommend checking the final terms of the measure in PRIA’s official information before submitting an application.
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