OREANDA-NEWS. February 17, 2014. The framework regulation establishes the priority principles, objectives and tasks for implementing the policies supporting agricultural producers. The regulation underwent a string of improvements with the increase of the fund’s means from 400 million in 2013 to 500 million lei in 2014, the government’s communication and media relations department has reported.

Thus, the farmers planning to plant sour cherry, cherry, apricot, plum, and peach orchards will benefit from grants amounting to 20,000-30,000 lei for each hectare. To set up plantations of fruit trees, farmers will receive subsidies amounting to 50,000 lei per one hectare.

The subsidies for farmers who want to clear perennial plantations also increased from 3,000 to 5,000 lei per hectare. At the same time, the notion of young farmer was modified from 30 to 35 years.

As for stimulating the investments for growing vegetables on protected fields - winter gardens, greenhouses, and tunnels - the subsidies increased to 70 per cent for producer groups and 60 per cent for individual farmers.

To stimulate farmland irrigation works, subsidies rose to 50 per cent and to stimulate investments in the equipment and technological renovation of the livestock farms, cattle farms will be subsidised up to 60 per cent and sheep farms up to 50 per cent. This year, fish farmers will receive grants as well.

Taking into account the Agriculture and Food Industry Ministry’s priority to support the development of post-harvest agriculture, packing houses located in rural areas, including unincorporated areas of towns and cities, district councils’ residences, the subsidy will amount to 50 per cent, and the ceiling limit will be grow from 2.5 million up to 4.5 million lei.

Those strengthening agricultural lands by forming a single unit will benefit from additional subsidies for the costs of cadastral works.

The document also provides for the stimulation of financial institutions to provide credit to farmers.