The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry received over 2,000 applications for subsidies from farmers. Of them, 1,000 have been already accepted and 200 million lei of the 400 million lei planned for subsidization have been practically disbursed, Minister Vasile Bumacov told a news conference, quoted by Info-Prim Neo. The minister said the subsidization ceiling for 2012 was increased from 150 million lei to 400 million lei. “We consider that this rise will enable the agricultural producers to get larger loans, including for attenuating the risks that appeared following the unfavorable weather conditions last autumn and this winter,” stated Vasile Bumacov. The minister informed that for the first time this year there will be subsidized the growing of aromatic plants. The cultivated areas will be extended from 580 ha to 720 ha. The subsidies for such plants can amount to 40,000 lei per hectare. At the end of this week, Vasile Bumacov will render a report on the situation in Moldova’s agricultural sector at the European Commission. He expressed his concern that after Moldova receives non-reimbursable assistance from the European partners, it may have not enough farmers to absorb these grants.