Agricultural producers are compensated for the cost of paying interest on loans, for fertilizers and 30% of the cost of diesel fuel.
This was announced during a press conference on Friday by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Viorel Gherciu, presenting measures of state support for farmers, which are planned to be approved in the near future. He noted that the authorities understand the position of agricultural producers and are preparing a package of legislative changes to support them, taking into account, at the same time, the possibilities of the country's budget. The minister said that the government will compensate 30% of the excise tax on diesel fuel used by farmers, while in the future it is planned to gradually increase the share of this compensation to 100%, but this is a long-term measure. “At the initial stage of seasonal work and maintenance of farmland, 200 million lei are provided for these purposes, which will be distributed through the Agency for Interventions and Payments in Agriculture. We will also use the help of external partners. Today, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization announced that it will provide $0.5 million in assistance to small producers,” the minister said. Also, farmers will be compensated for the cost of paying interest on loans and the cost of fertilizers and plant protection products. At the same time, the size of the National Fund for the Development of Agriculture and Rural Areas was increased to 1 billion 750 million lei. The minister stressed that for the first time this year, its resources are available to micro-producers, small, medium and large enterprises operating in the agricultural sector. Conditions are also provided for access to subsidies for young farmers, women farmers, migrant workers who return home and plan to develop a business in the field of animal husbandry, processing of agricultural products, growing fruits and vegetables in the open field, as well as annual and perennial plants. Gherciu also noted that a decision had been made to stimulate investment in animal husbandry, especially in milk production. Herewith, special attention is paid to the promotion and development of organic farming, the replacement of energy dependence and adaptation to climate change. The Ministry of Agriculture also proposes to increase the amount of subsidies for the creation of grape plantations for wine production, improve credit conditions for farmers, etc. // 01.04.2022 — InfoMarket
