Farmers' Force Association has not reached an agreement with the government, which says it is open to dialogue with farmers
The Farmers' Power Association has not reached an agreement with the government. Farmers held talks yesterday with Prime Minister Dorin Recean and Minister Vladimir Bolea, however, they took their tractors out on the national roads today. Prime Minister's spokesman Daniel Voda said after the cabinet meeting that the executive is open to continuing dialogue with farmers.
"Obviously farmers want more subsidies and higher prices. But the government represents the whole of society, including consumers, who want lower prices, and small and medium farmers, who also want access to quality subsidies. The government therefore remains open to further discussions with the sector. We expect to see the demands made very clearly," says Prime Minister's spokesman Daniel Voda.
The Farmers' Association said after yesterday's government talks that it was asking for compensation of three thousand lei per hectare for wheat, barley and rapeseed crops transferred by 1 August. Another demand is a ban on grain imports from Ukraine and restrictions on exports through the port of Giurgiulesti, which should be used only for agricultural goods produced in Moldova. In addition, farmers are demanding payment of last year's subsidy arrears by 1 July and an extension of the value-added tax refund programme.
On the other hand, the government today approved an additional 533 million lei for farmers, more than 430 million lei for the VAT refund mechanism, the remaining 100 million lei is compensation for diesel and fertiliser price increases. At the same time, the government promises that by 1 August it will launch the process of distributing subsidies - 900 million lei through the Agricultural Intervention and Payments Agency.
