The farmers from the northern districts of the country sustained considerable losses as a result of the severe frost of the last few days. While on a visit made to northern Moldova, Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Vasile Bumacov ascertained that hundreds of hectares of apple orchards were affected by frost, IPN reports.

Near Rudi village of Soroca district, fruit growers told the official that the apples in practically all the orchards where the harvest hasn’t been yet gathered got frozen. In one orchard alone, 1,500 tonnes of apples remained on the trees. In Ocnita district, in the agricultural farmstead that owns the largest areas of orchards, 120 hectares of apples were affected by frost. The losses amount to millions of lei.

In Colicauti, Briceni, the farmers also sustained significant losses and expressed their concern about the future of the fruit and vegetable growing sector. Briceni district was the worst hit by frost. Nighttime temperatures there reached 13 degrees Celsius. According to preliminary reports, the harvest got frozen on an area of almost 780 hectares of orchard.

The losses are being assessed. Contacted by IPN, Vasile Bumacov said the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry does not have funds to compensate the agricultural producers for their losses, but he will present the situation in the Government’s meeting so as to see what can be done.