This year’s drought will reverberate throughout first half 2008

The effects of this year’s drought will amplify throughout the first half next year, especially in the animal husbandry sector, Agriculture & Food Industry Minister Anatol Gorodenco stated at the plenary session of the Parliament, while reading the report of the situation in agriculture as a result of drought and the steps taken by the Government to alleviate its consequences. According to the report, the drought is responsible for having 7 percent of swine and poultry, and one quarter of cattle slaughtered. Gorodenco said this is due to this year’s low harvest. According to the official, the ministry gave specific recommendations on how to optimise the livestock in order to mitigate the negative effects that could affect the sector in the winter. About 11 million lei were earmarked in extra subsidies to the animal husbandry sector, in particular to the breeding farms, the minister said. At the same time, he stated that the Government is not able to compensate the farmers for not even a part of the slaughtered animals. According to official estimates, the losses caused to the national coffers by this year’s drought amount to 12 billion lei (about 1 billion US dollars).