The farmers who are dissatisfied with the price of grains announced protests. They demand that the authorities should examine the situation to see if the low grain prices are not due to a cartel agreement, IPN reports.

In a news conference, the chairman of the National Union of Agricultural Producers’ Associations “UniAgroProtec” Alexandru Slusari said the farmers already informed the Competition Council. According to him, the purchase price of wheat is 2.2 lei, while in Ukraine it is 3.2-3.4 lei. The farmers suspect a number of companies that buy grains from producers reached an agreement and artificially diminished the price.

According to Alexandru Slusari, the farmers have to sell the grains at the price imposed by the companies because they have debts to the workers and bank loans that they must repay. Also, they do not have areas where to store the grains.

Nicanor Buzovoi, the head of the Association of Grain Producers of Moldova, said the wheat harvest is not as large as it was anticipated earlier. As the drought of the last few months affected the corn, soybean and sugar beet, the farmers hope to earn more at least from the sales of barley and wheat.

The farmers offer the authorities two weeks to take action and will then mount protests, if the situation does not change.