Romania is in talks with the World Bank and the European Investment Bank for an additional allocation of EUR 1.5 billion for the rehabilitation of its irrigation system, given that this year it can pride itself with the ‘water highway’ flowing through its more than 2,800 km of irrigation canals, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Florin Barbu told the National Conference of the Romanian Farmers’ Club on Wednesday.

„Speaking about plant crops, I think we are doing very well. (…) Let me tell you that this year’s wheat production is by 1.7 million tons higher than the one of 2023, (…) which is also due to the rehabilitation program of the mainline irrigation infrastructure. I think it is the most important program in Romania at this moment in the plant-growing sector. (…) No one believed that Romania could approve an EUR 1.5 million program for the rehabilitation of 2.7 million hectares that, if I stay in office as Agriculture minister, will definitely be rehabilitated. So far we have rehabilitated the canals supplying 1.6 million hectares. This year we had 2,800 km of canal and we can be proud that we also have our ‘water highway’ flowing through the irrigation canals,” Barbu said.

„I argued before the European Commission that free of charge water supplied via the main irrigation infrastructure is not state aid, because, as those of you who have an irrigation system know, you already duly pay for the secondary irrigation infrastructure to pump the water to the field. I am in talks with the World Bank, as well as with the European Investment Bank for an additional allocation of EUR 1.5 billion to the already approved EUR 1.5 billion to achieve our goals,” argued the head of Agriculture.

Barbu emphasized that this year, the agricultural sector benefited from more than EUR 7 billion for various investments and projects. He also brought to mind that in the Agrifish Council this autumn, he asked for the amendment of the regulation so that farmers who receive European funds under the national strategic program be able to purchase reproductive animals to populate their farms.

According to the minister, by the end of December, a new program will be launched in the pig breeding sector, with RON 1.4 billion earmarked for 60 farms with 1,500 breeding sows and 40,000 fattened pigs.

Agriculture Minister Florin Barbu and European Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski, who is on an official visit to Romania, participated on Wednesday in the National Conference of the Romanian Farmers’ Club.

AGERPRES