The Moldovan authorities intend to raise an emergency loan from the World Bank to support the drought-stricken agricultural sector, President Igor Dodon announced after the August 10 meeting of senior state officials. He didn’t specify the sum yet, IPN reports.

President Dodon said the witnessed drought is unprecedented and the farmers probably face the most difficult situation since the declaring of Independence. According to him, the Government started to provide compensations to farmers and 200 million lei has been identified for the purpose. But assessments covering the second group gain crops continue to be carried out.

Sources will be identified for the purpose, but the budget capacities are limited. “We discussed with colleagues from the Government and decided to ask for an emergency loan from the World Bank so as to help particularly the farmers. There are such mechanisms. The colleagues from the Government during the next few days will have the first contacts with WB representatives to discuss this subject,” stated President Dodon.

The damage caused by the drought to wheat fields exceeds 700 million lei, while to barley and rape fields – 100 million lei each. In total, of the 415,000 hectares sowed in autumn, more than 180,000 hectares of wheat, barley and rape are 60% affected. Almost 43% of the crop fields were more than 60% affected. These are estimations for the first group grain crops and the assessments continue.