Regulations on subsidization of agricultural producers will be amended

The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry, together with the Agency for Payments and Intervention in Agriculture, is preparing a bill to amend the regulations concerning the subsidization of agricultural producers. According to Minister Vasile Bumakov, the agricultural year is expected to be difficult. The producers will need seeds to recover the losses sustained as a result of last autumn’s drought and this winter’s frost, Info-Prim Neo reports. The proposed changes eliminate the ceiling of 150,000 lei (200,000 lei in the case of specialization in ecological products) in subsidies given to agricultural producers. It is suggested restoring the subsidy for the production of seedlings for growing vegetables on protected areas, which represented 30% of the production costs. Subsidies will be instituted for ether-oleaginous plants. Their size wasn’t decided yet. Vasile Bumakov also said that Parliament will soon adopt a bill whereby the agricultural risk insurance market will be liberalized. All the insurance companies will have the right to provide such services. Competition will be stiffer and the premiums may be lower. The bill is to be submitted to the Government for approval in the nearest future.