Agricultural producers groups praised by officials and farmers

The new association form in farming – the producers groups – will contribute to higher incomes as their members aim to improve their technical and management abilities. The subject was discussed in an international conference themed “Foundation of agricultural producers groups: opportunities and benefits”, Info-Prim Neo reports. The farmers attending the conference said they back this initiative of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry, stressing they will be able to easier sell their products and to invest together in agricultural equipment now that the producers groups were created. Tudor Robu, the head of the Ministry’s Marketing and International Economic Relations Division, said a bilateral Moldovan-Polish project was launched in 2011 to support the agricultural producers groups. During the year, there was ensured experience exchange in the private and public sectors and the farmers were able to go to Poland to see how an agricultural producers group develops there. The bill on the creation of agricultural producers groups is to be finalized. According to Tudor Robu, after the bill is adopted this association form will be regulated. The state will find methods of stimulating the formation of such groups, like provision of concessions and subsidies. Vasile Myrzenko, chairman of the National Farmers Federation of Moldova, said the initiative meets the needs of the Moldovan farmers. “This initiative was put forward a little late. In the West, the producers do not face problems in selling their products and purchasing what they need,” he stated. The head of the Agriculture and Food Division of Hancesti district Efim Moraru said a farmer cannot cope with all the problems by oneself. The agricultural producers groups can solve the most serious problem – the sale of the products, as the agricultural production is sold easier and quicker in larger quantities. Orhei agricultural producer Ion Sochirca said that most of the farmers who grow one and the same crop can join forces and invest in such infrastructure as refrigerators, agricultural equipment, tractors, etc. Deputy Minister of Agriculture Stefan Chitoroaga said that the producers groups will be able to solve many problems together, including the supply and sale. The producers groups are economic entities consisting of farmers that aim to increase efficiency in agriculture and the incomes from the sale of production.