• RRomania, to compensate the losses suffered by Romanian farmers due to the transit of grain from Ukraine, receives a small allocation from the crisis reserve of the European Union.
According to the statements of the Minister of Agriculture, Petre Daea, Romania submitted to the European Commission the requested data in order to compensate the Romanian farmers affected by the influx of grain from Ukraine in the set time. However, there was no negotiation on the amount awarded.
Thus, the European Commission, without discussing with the representatives of the countries concerned, decides to grant Poland 29,5 million euros, Hungary, nothing, even though it recorded a loss of 110 million euros, Romania, with a loss of 45,84 of millions allocates only 10,05 million euros, nothing to Slovakia, and 16,75 million euros to Bulgaria.
The Minister of Agriculture, Petre Daea, met on Monday, March 20, with the European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Janusz Wojciechowski, asking him to reanalyze the calculation formula regarding the amount of 10 million euros allocated to Romania to support farmers affected by the influx of grain from Ukraine.
Meeting of Minister Daea with European Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski
"I argued at the Council, in the discussion with the European Commissioner for Agriculture, that the amount is small for Romania. It's a ridiculous amount. He explained to us the constraints he has, justifying that the Commission's decision was to grant only 56 million euros from the total crisis reserve of 450 million euros. A very small amount for the needs of the six countries, but of which only three received. Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia did not receive a single cent. For now these are the amounts. But I requested to revise the calculation formula and it was agreed that it will be analyzed together with Romanian experts established since September 26, 2022, headed by Achim Irimescu from the Permanent Representation of Romania to the European Union", Petre Daea declared for Agerpres, Tuesday, March 21, 2023.
Minister Petre Daea also explains the calculation based on which these amounts were granted. The first criterion was that of stocks, The European Commission stating that a comparison is made of the year-end stocks with the average stocks of the last 5 years and if there is a higher stock, it is justified that there is a stock pressure and that they create a stock pressure in each individual country.
Three crops were considered, namely wheat, maize and sunflower. The submitted data shows that Poland had a wheat stock at the end of the year of 11 million tons, 15% higher than the 5-year average, a corn stock of 8 million tons, 90% higher than the 5-year average years and for sunflowers of 78 tons, higher by 67%.
The analyzes of the European Commission without consulting the representatives of the countries concerned
Romania, at the end of 2022, recorded 5,837 million tons of wheat in stock, a decrease of 9% compared to the 5-year average, in corn the stock was 4,878 million tons, lower than the 5-year average by 59%, and for sunflowers, the stock was lower by 2%.
"In the philosophy of the Commission and in the analysis that they presented to us, I think that the pressure of the stocks is taken into account only when they register a difference of more than 20%; in the case of Romania, this difference does not exist." Minister Daea emphasizes.
"The second element of analysis of COMMISSION took into account the value of the related loss, calculated on account of the realized production and the price differences between the average national price and the local price, in the affected areas of the country: north-west, north-east and south-east. The Commission calculated that for the three products, the loss as a result of the prices is 45,84 million euros, of which, however, it finally recognized only the loss in corn, in the amount of 20,1 million euros, without knowing the calculation elements that determined this level. " Petre Daea further states.
"Taking note of these data, in the discussion I had for an hour with the commissioner, with his lordship's team, I told him that I was losing logic and I told him very clearly: the calculation formula that you have chosen is a formula that will put us at a disadvantage, which is why I ask you, Commissioner, to give me the opportunity for my specialists, whom you did not use according to the agreement established, to be able to reanalyze with your specialists the situation in which is Romania.
Minister Daea requests a review of the decisions
At this time, the amounts are not set. They will be validated in the March 30 committee, in which Romania is present. I will see what information my colleagues give me after the meeting that is going on this time, but regardless of the amount, our determination and our support for farmers will always be constant, as it has been until now.
Using the regulation, the amount we will receive will be doubled with the amount from the state budget, in such a way that we support the farmers who have grain in the warehouses, not the grain traders, let's get along.
We are all unhappy with this amount. Crushing from the point of view of my understanding as a specialist, as a man with this state responsibility to lead such a trying sector last year, going through all possible crises, including drought."
Article written by Gabriela Dan, Editor of Arta Albă
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