Milk subsidies: Farmers can apply until August 14
Farmers who raise cows, sheep, or goats can apply for state subsidies for the milk they sell until August 14. The financial support is provided by the Agricultural Intervention and Payments Agency for each liter delivered to processors. Producers emphasize that this assistance is essential, as the current price of a liter of milk is less than that of a liter of water, and the income generated barely covers production costs.
Ion Popescu is the administrator of one of the largest cattle farms in the Ialoveni district. He raises approximately 1,500 Holstein cows, of which 620 are milking cows. The farm produces around 18 tons of milk daily.
"The cows are milked three times a day at our farm, and they have a fixed schedule; they know it and have developed a biological clock. In previous years, we produced over 3 million kilograms of milk annually, and this year, we are aiming for 6 to 7 million kilograms," says Ion Popescu.
The farmer sells milk to local processors for approximately 8 lei per liter, a price that is far too low to cover his investments and production costs. Last year, the state provided him with financial support of 3 lei for each liter of milk sold, which helped him keep his business afloat.
He sold over 3,300 tons of milk, and the state awarded him 10 million lei in total support. He reinvested these funds into developing the farm, including purchasing machinery and protective equipment for his employees.
"This money was effectively reinvested in our company," the farm owner stated. "We made every effort not to use it for operational expenses. Instead, it was spent on machinery and constructing new facilities, which are now operational. Some of the funds came from the agro project, while part was from these subsidies."
The farmer is hoping to receive state subsidies for the milk sold this year. Financial support is provided through the Agricultural Intervention and Payments Agency (AIPA).
"It is important for the livestock farm to be registered and to possess a valid operating permit. Only those animals that are actively used for livestock production—such as cattle, goats, and sheep—are eligible for the subsidies for the milk they produce and invoice, provided they are registered in the state animal registry. The payment is 3 lei for every kilogram of bovine milk and 5 lei for every kilogram of sheep or goat milk," states Diana Coșalîc, AIPA's deputy director.
Applications for subsidies can be submitted until August 14. In the sixth call in 2025, around 400 farmers received financial support totaling 180 million lei for milk production. Currently, over 32,000 cattle are raised on farms in the Republic of Moldova. Last year, the country's cow's milk production exceeded 64,000 tons.
