The single fund proposed for agriculture under the future 2028-2034 European Financial Framework is a mistake, and Romania must continue to support the retention of the two pillars of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), namely subsidies for farmers and funding for the development of the sector, Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Florin Barbu said on Thursday.
"From my point of view, when we talk about the new policy and the new 2028 Financial Framework, the single fund is a mistake. Why do I say this? Because Romania must continue to follow the two-pillar approach: subsidies for Romanian farmers and the development component. As I have said before, we cannot make Romanian food conditional on milestones and targets. We cannot lose European funds for the development of livestock farming and the food industry because certain sectors are unable to meet specific milestones and targets. The money must continue to go to Romanian farmers for development and investment in processing and livestock farming," Florin Barbu said at the AGRI4FUTURE National Conference: Romania - Objective 2035, organised by the Romanian Farmers' Club.
The Agriculture Minister argued that food security must be treated as a component of national security and said that both the Romanian state and the European Commission have a responsibility to support agricultural producers, in a context in which farmers are struggling to cover production costs.
"It is a complicated period. Farmers are unable to cover their production costs. Cereal prices are at levels seen seven years ago and the Romanian state, but also the European Commission, must continue to have a clear responsibility for ensuring national security and food security," Barbu also said.
He pointed out that the Ministry of Agriculture is seeking to integrate crop production with livestock farming and the food industry through investments in processing and production capacity.
In this context, the minister mentioned that, under the National Strategic Plan, funding agreements for processing projects worth nearly one billion euros had been signed and also highlighted the Investalim programme, aimed at developing the food industry.
Minister Barbu also announced that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MADR) is working on two funding programmes for farmers, modeled on those implemented in 2024, with a fixed interest rate of 1.90%, while ROBOR and the other fees will be covered by the Ministry of Agriculture.
The MADR official called on the banking sector to maintain its partnership with farmers during difficult periods as well, not only when economic conditions are favourable.
"Romania's banking sector must stand by farmers. We cannot collect interest when the sun is shining and then call for Romanian farmers to go bankrupt when drought strikes. The banking sector must establish a fair partnership between farmers and the loans they obtain, because farmers need guidance and advice to build financial discipline on their farms," Agriculture Minister Florin Barbu said.
He attended the AGRI4FUTURE National Conference: Romania - Objective 2035, organised by the Romanian Farmers' Club in Bucharest on Thursday.
