Starting with February 1, agricultural producers can file applications to get subsidies for 2018, director of the Agency for Intervention and Payments in Agriculture (AIPA) Nicolae Ciubuc stated in a news conference, IPN reports.

A sum of 900 million lei was planned in the state budget for the national agriculture and rural development fund. The outstanding 1,500 applications submitted last year, for subsidies totaling 220 million lei, will be satisfied the first. A sum of 46 million lei will be transferred to the vine and wine fund. Thus, the remaining sum of 633 million lei will go to pay subsidies this year.

As to the subsidization priorities, the AIPA director said these will include the areas with high value added. Subsidies will be allocated for enhancing competitiveness by modernizing production, planting orchards and vineyards, developing the post-harvest infrastructure, sustainably managing the natural resources and building important facilities in rural areas.

“Subsidization in advance is something of a novelty in the subsidization process this year. We are now working on the concept. We hope this will be ready in spring. Subsidization in advance is designed to support young people with ideas who intend to start a business. Subsidization of production promotion is another novelty. This measure was planned last year too, but we will yet work on it to make it more attractive,” stated Nicolaie Ciubuc.

The subsidies provided to young producers will be by 15% higher. Minister of Agriculture Liviu Volconovici told the same news conference that the subsidies intended for young producers will represent 5% of all the subsidies. Women running agribusinesses will also receive increased subsidies.

A producer can get at most 3 million lei in subsidies, while the groups of producers not more than 4.5 million lei. The number of applications for subsidies submitted in 2017 stood at 7 800.