EU funds pump €25.5M into Moldovan farms amid protests
Moldovan farmers accessed over €25.5 million (approx. 500 million MDL) in European funds through the Agriculture Credit Facility (FCA) program between March 2025 and late May 2026. These funds, distributed as a combination of loans and grants, aimed to stabilize the vital agrarian sector.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry (MAIA), authorities allocated nearly €3.06 million in May 2026 alone. This monthly financial injection included €177,000 in non-reimbursable grants designed to support smallholders.
Loans provided through the FCA program feature a favorable fixed interest rate of 5.1% per annum. By the end of April 2026, this rate offered farmers a significant financial edge of 6.87 percentage points below the commercial banking average.
The Office for Management of External Assistance Programs implements the initiative alongside the Ministry of Finance and MAIA. From March 2025 to May 31, 2026, the program financed 581 micro and small agricultural enterprises, approving 98 applications in May alone.
Regional distribution and cash flow support
"The program has reached all districts of the country, with a higher share of financing in the northern region," MAIA stated.
A new component called "Independent Agricultural Working Capital," introduced in April 2026, offers up to €25,500 per enterprise for ongoing operations. By May 31, this facility backed 54 businesses, with total funding exceeding €1.02 million.
"The component was developed to support agricultural enterprises in covering current expenses, under conditions where production costs, the instability of external markets, and seasonal agricultural works increase the pressure on liquidity," reads a Ministry press release.
Conventional farming absorbed 66.5% of the total resources, with the highest concentration of projects located in the northern region. For the remainder of 2026, available financing stands at €8.32 million in loans and nearly €1.53 million in grants.
Growing agrarian discontent
Despite these institutional efforts, Moldovan farmers have repeatedly warned that state support remains insufficient and access to affordable capital is limited. Producers claim commercial banks reject loan requests from financially distressed farms suffering from soaring production costs and climate-induced crop failures.
During a warning protest on May 27, 2026, outside the government building in Chisinau, agricultural representatives presented three primary demands.
They called for direct payments per hectare for grain and oilseed crops starting January 1, 2027, full VAT refunds, and a thorough revision of the subsidy mechanism scheduled for 2026.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
