Associations of agricultural producers inform about resumption of protests

Chisinau, 1 September /MOLDPRES/ - The leaders of four representative associations that bring together agricultural producers and farmers accuse authorities of lack of responsiveness and interest in solving the problems faced by farmers and said they would resume protests.

"The year 2015 is an extremely difficult one for agriculture; yet, despite the catastrophic situation it is facing, one feels lack of action to support producers," UniAgroProtect President Alexandru Slusari said at a press conference today. He noted that "the prices of all necessary resources for agricultural production, 90 per cent of which are imported,  increased by 30-40 per cent due to the national currency's depreciation. Interest rates on loans have substantially increased and the number of loans for agricultural producers was significantly reduced. Furthermore, the severe drought compromised up to 60 per cent of the crop."

A lot of farmers are likely to go bankrupt, added Slusari, calling agricultural producers to come to the Great National Assembly Square on 6 September to protest against the “absolutely unwise agrarian policy”. “We intend to protest non-stop till Farmers Day, marked in November”, said the president of UniAgroProtect.

The farmers will support the protests, said Vasile Mirzenco, the executive director of the National Farmers' Federation of Moldova. He expressed discontent with the fact that no law on subsidising was in passed, thus farmers "are forced to beg" every year.

On the other hand, Iurie Hurmuzachi, the deputy director of the Agroinform National Federation of Agricultural Producers, said that the organisation he represents was speaking out for continuing the "constructive dialogue with the authorities."

Previously, the farmers have asked the government to create committees at the central and local level to assess the consequences of the drought and consider possibility of introducing a state of emergency in the severely hit areas.

(Reporter V. Bercu, Editor L. Alcaza)