The drought is compromising this year’s crop, and farmers risk bankruptcy if the state does not intervene with subsidies. This is what the executive director of the “Farmers’ Force” (AFF) Association, Alexandru Slusari, says. According to him, a severe drought hit most districts in the country. He says this year’s drought is much more severe than that in 2020.
The government say that this year the subsidy fund has increased so that farmers receive state support. However, Slusari says farmers are investing huge money in their land. But selling the fruit compromised by the drought will not cover their expenses.
According to the executive director of the AFF, the lack of rainfall this year could bring farmers to bankruptcy. Slusari says that high prices for diesel, fertilizers and increasingly demanding weather are turning agriculture into a completely unprofitable field.
“We will have a severe drought in the vast majority of districts. The impact of this drought may be harsher for farmers than it was in 2020. Back then, it (the drought) affected the first and second group crops. In 2020 the costs were relatively low, diesel and fertilizers weren’t that expensive and the prices of crop residues covered the costs. After 2 years, we have almost the same prices or even lower, but the expenses have tripled. The effects of this drought can be much harsher for the Republic of Moldova. The harvest will be low, below the annual average, but sufficient to ensure food security. Now the subsidy fund does not provide aid for drought.” These were said by Slusari during the show “Freedom with Dorin Galben” from TV8.
FOR THE MOST IMPORTANT NEWS, SUBSCRIBE TO OURÂ FACEBOOKÂ PAGE!
On the other side, the chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture and Food Industry has other sollutions. He says that the agriculture of Moldova must modernize, so that the country no longer exports raw materials. It should instead import finished products at much higher prices.
“We do not eat wheat and corn, we eat bread, pasta, biscuits. Unfortunately, in 30 years the processing system has been completely destroyed. That is why we need to move to small-scale industrialization. Because we now import food. In the context of the drought, we must first try to sell the goods. In the subsidy fund we have one billion 650 million lei, the money is destined for all aspects related to agriculture “, said the PAS deputy, Vladimir Bolea.
According to a decision recently approved by the Government, micro, small and medium agricultural producers will benefit from the compensation of the excise duty on diesel used since the beginning of this year, amounting to up to 100% or 2,980 lei per ton. Large agricultural enterprises will receive compensation in the amount of 30% or 894 lei per ton.