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FARMERS SAY THEY BETTER GIVE APPLES TO FEED CATTLE THAN FOR PROCESSING

08 octomber, 2014
FARMERS SAY THEY BETTER GIVE APPLES TO FEED CATTLE THAN FOR PROCESSING Moldovan horticulturists say that in conditions, when processing enterprises pay 0.5 lei for one kilogram of apples, it is easier to feed the livestock with these fruit.

 

Farmer Alexei Ivanov from Orhei said at the Wednesday press conference at Infotag that especially alarming situation is in the North and Center of Moldova, where there are many non-harvested fruits, a part of which has already fallen and is perishing.

 

“Last year, we were selling apples to the canners at a price of 2 lei for one kilogram. Now, the price is four times lower. Why then fruit juice in markets did not also cheapen four times? Is this an agreement between the Government and processors, or it is something else, but we can not sell apples at 0.5 lei, when their prime cost is 1.5-2 lei. I understand that we have a market economy, but there should be a common sense and some limits”, outraged Ivanov.

 

Vlad Gamureac, Director of Agro-product enterprise from Briceni, said that despite the authorities’ promises to open the EU markets, only not more than 1-2% of the harvested crop has been sold until now.

 

“We were encouraged with sweet words that starting from September 1, we will be able to freely supply apples to the EU. But the situation is quite the opposite. I tried to sell apples on the nearest market for us – in Romania. I loaded several trucks and sent to the neighboring country. But it turned out that the person, who buys apples from Moldova should present a 7 thousand euros bank guarantee at the price of 5 thousand euros for a truck. It is impossible to supply something to Romania, we are being deliberately misled. The Russian market is closed and Moldovan horticulturists have no other markets”, said Gamureac, stressing that farmers are on the verge of bankruptcy.

 

He considers that farmers do not deserve such a negligent attitude from the Government.

 

“We have suffered, we were presenting documents, but authorities thought that we will survive somehow. It is possible to stand when losses account 50-70%, but not when these make 100%. We tried to meet the Prime Minister to discuss the catastrophic situation in agriculture. We do not want protest actions, we demand that problems to be solved in a civilized manner”, said the farmer.

 

Alexandru Slusari, Deputy Chairman of the National Union of Agricultural Producers' Associations UniAgroProtect said that the amount of apples, supplied for processing, is twice higher than the volume, for which the Government promised subsidies.

 

“This creates a state of uncertainty among farmers and raises questions about the correctness of compensations’ distribution”, said Slusari.

 

Valeriu Cosarciuc, Chairman of the National Farmers Federation, noted that all farmers face difficult situation and one of solutions may be providing to them cheap credits.

 

“We have discussed with President of the National Bank of Moldova (NBM) Dorin Dragutanu the possibility of providing banks with 2 million lei, which will be distributed among farmers as credits with 1-2% interest rate”, said Cosarciuc.

 

Farmers associations expressed concern about the fact that authorities still did not improve the situation in agriculture. This means, in particular, replenishment of the agricultural subsidies’ fund for 2014 by 150 million lei, de-monopolization of the petroleum products market, adoption of the Law on unified tax in agriculture.

 

Farmers gave authorities two more weeks to solve these problems, otherwise they will recommence massive protests.

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