The farmers are asking Prime Minister Valeriu Strelet to take urgent measures to improve the situation in agriculture, given the numerous problems they have to deal with in 2015, IPN learned from an open letter signed by farmers' associations.

According to the letter, the devaluation of the national currency lead to a surge in prices for all the resources farmers need in their activity. They have also been hit by the recent drought and the harvest of spring cultures and fruit trees will be 50%-60%
lower than the last year.

Agricultural associations want the government to create before September 1 central and local special commissions to establish until September 30 the list of farming businesses stricken by the drought. They also want the authorities to consider announcing a state of emergency in the towns and villages hit by the drought in addition to coordinating with the Chamber of Industry and Commerce the issuance of force majeure certificates.

Another demand is to modify tax laws so that fiscal authorities won't calculate fines and penalties into the taxes, fees and other contributions to the state budget that farmers have to pay. The petitioners also want the government to pay the overdue subsidies and compensations for fruit growers who sold their harvest to processing plants.

The agricultural associations recommend the government to borrow 350 million lei in order to supplement the Subsidy Fund for 2015, with the funds to be reimbursed via the ENPARD Program money, which will be transferred to the Moldovan government in the first quarter of 2016.

The letter to the Prime Minister was signed by the Republican Association of Farmers “UniAgroProtect”, the National Federation of Farmers “AGROinform”, the National Federation of Moldovan Farmers and the Association of Fruit Growers and Exporters “Moldova-Fruct”.