AgriMin: Compensation for drought-affected crops will be granted in October

The Minister of Agriculture, Florin Barbu, declared on Friday, in a press conference held in Slatina, that the compensations for the calamities caused by the drought will be paid to the farmers in October, so that they will have resources for the autumn campaign.Florin Barbu mentioned that agricultural crops were affected by the drought on an area of approximately two million hectares and the minimum amount of compensation per hectare will be 200 euros."At the moment, from the assessment we have at the Ministry of Agriculture, from the specialized departments in the territory, the rate of damage to spring crops is somewhere around two million hectares, I announced publicly, we discussed with the Prime Minister and announced publicly, the compensation payment will be a minimum of 200 euros per hectare. All the commissions and all public institutions under the Ministry of Agriculture have until September 15 to draw up these minutes of calamities. It is for the first time, at the Ministry of Agriculture In other years, these calamity reports were completed by the end of the year and handed in the following year. This year, we will pay these compensations in October, because the farmers are having a harder time, because in the last three years there was a drought, we want to secure these financial sources to start the autumn sowing campaign. I undertook this work as a minister, until September 15th, and we will transfer the money to the farmers' account in October," said the Minister of Agriculture.Asked if Romania will be able to secure its grain needs in the context of this year's drought, the minister gave assurances that our country has the necessary grains both for its own consumption and for export, considering that crops are irrigated on an area of 1, 6 million hectares."At the moment, 1.6 million hectares are irrigated. (...) From the point of view of food security, Romania has the necessary cereals both for its own consumption, including for the consumption part of the livestock sector, and for export," stated Florin Barbu.Regarding discussions about anti-hail missile systems, the minister mentioned that it is a study in progress, but the system will continue to function and be developed."There are certain voices among the farmers that there would be no rain in Prahova County because of these anti-hail systems. The study must come from the Ministry of Agriculture and I will not hide the fact that on Tuesday, at 3:00 p.m., at the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Economy, we will meet the CSAT members to expedite this study, including the INMH, and we will make the decision. But I tell you that the anti-hail system will continue in Romania, the investments will continue in Romania and it is a very good system," Barbu said.