Moldovan farmers hopeful for better harvest after recent rainfall
Recent rainfall has raised hopes among both farmers and central authorities that this year will yield a good harvest for autumn crops.
The state of autumn crops and soil moisture levels were discussed in an online meeting between the heads of regional agricultural directorates and representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry.
The last few years have been incredibly challenging for agriculture. Farmers have faced multiple overlapping crises, one of the most severe being drought. However, this year, everyone is expecting a much better harvest than last year, as the autumn-sown crops are in good condition. Farmers are hoping that weather conditions will be more favorable this year.
In Ungheni, the situation is good. We have about 9,500 hectares of wheat, nearly 2,000 hectares of rapeseed, all in good to very good condition, and there has been enough rainfall for the autumn crops so far. It’s still too early to assess how things will progress, but last year, we also had very good autumn crops, though the final yield was not as expected. Now, everything depends on what we will get in the spring.
In Criuleni, the situation is good and satisfactory. Of the 6,500 hectares of wheat, 1,200 hectares of barley, 350 hectares of peas, and 1,100 hectares of rapeseed, 65% are in good condition, 35% are satisfactory, and 5% are uncertain, but the situation has likely improved after the rainfall.
The agricultural sector in Soroca district is in good condition, as I’ve heard from reports by colleagues. The meeting between the heads of regional agricultural directorates and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry also addressed crops damaged by wild boars last year.
It is important to note that last year's drought affected over 350,000 hectares of agricultural land, including corn, sunflower, wheat, and other crops. In this context, Parliament decided to impose a moratorium on debt payments for farmers affected by the 2024 drought. Farmers claim that their proposals, previously discussed in parliamentary forums, are not reflected in the document.
Farmers insist on further discussions with authorities, where they wish to present an accurate list of farmers who suffered due to the 2024 drought.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
