Aid for potato producers could be increased from EUR 200/ha to EUR 800/ha, as the trade balance deficit for potatoes is still huge, acting Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Tanczos Barna told a news conference on Wednesday.
"As far as the proposed legislation is concerned, we have approved in the government all the pieces of legislation involved, except for the government decision aiding potato producers. As far as this form of support is concerned, I proposed raising the aid from EUR 200 to EUR 800, given that this increase would still represent a very small percentage of the total expenses that are necessary for the establishment of a hectare of potato crops in Romania. Against other forms of support, it is far below aid for other crops, such as garlic. There, percentage-wise, the support is double. As for potatoes, the trade balance deficit is still huge," Tanczos said.
According to him, Romania's potato producers faced a very big problem last year caused by overproduction in Germany and Poland, which exerted pressure on the Romanian market.
"Last year, potato producers faced a huge problem - overproduction from Germany and Poland generated immediate shipments of potatoes that basically left only with the costs of transport from Germany, only to save farmers from other countries from overproduction. They exerted a huge pressure on the Romanian market, which is why since then I had a discussion with [former agriculture] minister Barbu , because at that time he was leading the ministry, and I had agreed that more consistent support was needed for potato producers as well. Unfortunately, the decision has not been passed by the Government yet. It is practically a continuous wait."
Tanczos added that the EUR 800 will be paid in two instalments, EUR 300 in 2026 and EUR 500 in 2027.
"We made two new options: to pay the EUR 800 euros in two instalments. The last option sent to the Ministry of Finance and to the government, to the prime minister, is with the option of EUR 300 payable in 2026 and EUR 500 in 2027. I hope we will find an understanding among our colleagues in the government as well. This support is urgently needed, and I do not think that a sector as important as potato production should be deprived of support from the government in a difficult period for them."
Tanczos added that beet producers do not have a similar form of support, although it is in Romania's interest to have raw material for the factories in the country, not to import sugar from Ukraine or EU countries.
"For beet producers, for example, we have not had the opportunity to come up with such a form of support, but Romania's interest there is also to have domestic production and to have raw material for the factories in the country, not to bring sugar from outside the country, from the EU or from Ukraine. I don't think it's a legitimate interest and a fair interest for Romania," he said.
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