Over 1.2 million hectares in Romania affected by drought over 30pct

Over 1.2 million hectares are affected by drought more than 30%, out of a total of 2.9 million hectares sown in autumn, and compensation for these areas will be provided before the start of the autumn campaign, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Adrian Oros said on Tuesday evening.

"We have set up those boards that report on the damage caused by drought and we have totalled for each county, for each plot, each farmer, and each commune, and we have a final situation: there are 1.2 million hectares that are affected more than 30% and I mean crops planted in the autumn of last year, out of a total of 2.9 million hectares. For these areas, which we have now centralised, we will allocate funds, as I said, before the start of the autumn campaign; in autumn, we will provide compensation for all those areas that have been affected by the drought," Oros told B1 TV private broadcaster.

He said that no money could be provided from European funds for compensation, but the Ministry of Agriculture currently has funds for drought compensation, but not for the damage caused by the recent floods.

"We have the money for the drought, but the problems with the floods have come up these days and we will have to identify other sources for intervention. We know that what has happened is very serious," said Oros.