OREANDA-NEWS. June 23, 2011. Prime Minister Vlad Filat today participated in a ceremony of transmitting to beneficiaries a consignment of agricultural equipment purchased within the Moldovan-Japanese 2KR project, according to the government's communication and press relations department.

The event took place at the Moldovan-Japanese centre for training staff, during which 40 combines were offered to beneficiaries.

Vlad Filat thanked the Japanese people and government for supporting Moldova even now that Japan is facing a difficult period.

Filat congratulated the farmers for their acquisitions, wishing them a good agricultural season and a rich agricultural year.

"The 2011 harvest seems to be very good, and you will manage to harvest at a higher level of quality and faster due to these combines," Filat said.

Agriculture and Food Minister Vasile Bumacov said that due to the 40 combines, over 40,000 hectares of crops will be harvested twice faster than so far and with no losses.

The executive director of the 2KR programme, Valeriu Bulgari, said that it is already a tradition that a part of farmers start the harvesting season with new equipment.

Farmer Andrei Girlea said that the 2KR programme is not only providing farmers with equipment and is training them how to use it, but is also reuniting families as those who had left abroad return home as they know that they have jobs here.

As many as 5,357 agricultural machines (3,442 tractors, 385 combines, 452 sprinklers and others) have been imported in Moldova within the 2 KR project until now.