Good yet expensive news for Moldovan farmers

At the 20th edition of Moldagrotech exposition, 80 companies from Moldova, Austria, Greece, Italy, Romania, Russia, Hungary and Ukraine presented their newest and most efficient models of agricultural equipment and machinery. Outside the main pavilion at Moldexpo, distributing companies show the latest products of worldwide renowned brands, Info-Prim Neo reports. “It’s a very useful exposition, especially now, at the beginning of the farming season. However, most prices are beyond what farmers can afford, while the Farming Subsidy Fund is of only 250 million lei, 150 million less than last year. It will be enough only for covering subsidy requests submitted in 2010, which rise to over 200 million lei”, said Alexandru Slusari, Uniagroproiect president. Prime Minister Vlad Filat attended the opening. He spoke about 2KR, IFAD project (€20 million) and other ways of obtaining funding for the purchase of farming machinery. Filat assured the subsidy fund would be increased during the year, as it had happened in 2010. Local producers’ prices are not enough to guarantee good sales. According to Petru Frunza, manager of Moldagrotehnica from Balti, only superior quality can assure a company’s survival on the market. “Moldova’s agriculture needs urgent modernization. Our machinery is of good quality and it costs accordingly. That’s why we export most of our production, as foreign clients have a higher buying capacity”, he said. Moldagrotehnica presented some new things at the exposition, such as boilers for producing heat from alternative sources (hay and farming waste). “Moldova’s agriculture has a lot of raw material for obtaining cheap energy. I’ve checked it myself. Heating 4 rooms with energy from hay and waste is twice cheaper. I hope we’ll sell around 15-17 boilers this year. We must understand that farmers’ income will grow if they use waste from crops for energy. Another new thing of ours is the corn picker/husker, as well as other models of machinery already known to farmers”, Petru Frunza said. At the exposition, several commercial banks and leasing companies present advantageous financing schemes for buying farming equipment. Most offers are for small farms, that don’t have anything to pledge as security. The Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Vasile Bumacov encouraged all farmers, regardless of the size of their business, to buy modern machinery. “These investments will pay dividends. Prices for food and farming products are increasing on the international market, so that it’s realistic to assume farming will become a profitable business. Besides, it’s a great honor and responsibility to provide people’s staff of life”, he said. The exposition will be opened until March 6. Visitors can find out the latest news about equipment for gardening, horticulture, zootechnics and other domains.