Iurie Fala, executive director of the Association of Fruit Producers and Exporters “Moldova-Fruct”, said that owing to the ground frost of end-April, the apple harvest in the northern part of Moldova was practically compromised. Briceni district, where the largest volumes of apples are grown, is the worst-hit. The apple growers there risk going bankrupt, IPN reports.

“We are concerned about the lack of reaction and measures to alleviate the consequences of the natural disaster of April 27, when the night frost caused enormous damage to the agricultural producers in general and the fruit growers in particular. Briceni district was the worst hit, followed by the districts of Edinet, Rascani, Ocnita, Donduseni and some orchards in Soroca. The damage is huge because there was -8 degrees Celsius in parts,” stated Iurie Fala.

He noted that the apple harvest in the district with the highest apple production - Briceni – was 90% compromised, which is over 3,000 hectares of multiannual plantations. As winter was warm, the fruit tress bloomed early and the April frost comprised the harvest. It is estimated that over 100,000 tonnes of apples were lost compared with the harvests of the last few years.

The leaders of the agricultural producers addressed an open letter to the authorities, asking that the agricultural subsidies should be paid on time and that the producers from northern Moldova should be offered assistance. These also ask to provide force majeure certificates that will enable the farmers to request the banks to defer the payment of interest on loans and to also solve the problems related to farmland insurance, including to introduce subsidized insurance.