The National Farmers Federation of the Republic of Moldova requests Parliament and the Government to declare a force majeure situation in agriculture for the agricultural producers that were affected by drought. They also ask that the agricultural produces affected by drought should be exempted from paying particular taxes, while the purchase of the necessary seeds and fertilizers should be 75% subsidized. In a statement, the Federation said that if efficient measures are not taken to overcome the crisis situation in agriculture, it will call on the professional organizations operating in the field to mount large-scale protests, IPN reports.

The Administrative Board of the National Farmers Federation repeatedly expresses its concern about the situation created in agriculture due to the natural disasters, in particular the drought. The concern also refers to the lack of swift and efficient measures on the part of the state for alleviating the consequences. The farmers who were seriously affected by drought simply cannot cover the costs for continuing producing. They cannot pay salaries to workers, cannot start to prepare the fields for a new agricultural cycle, cannot purchase seeds for autumn sowing, fertilizers, spare parts, etc.

The National Farmers Federation said that during many years it has proposed that the authorities should adopt the law on the compensation of losses incurred by farmers as a result of natural disasters, but the lack of responsibility for ensuring the country’s food security and the ignoring of the problems faced by farmers prevented the appearance of this law.

The Federation demands that the Government and Parliament should exempt the agricultural producers affected by drought from paying taxes and contributions into the social fund for April 1, 2020 – September 1, 2021, should adopt the aforementioned law and should set up a special commission for emergencies in agriculture.