OREANDA-NEWS.  July 24, 2012. The farmers will bear about 20- per cent losses in harvest because of the drought, Agriculture and Food Minister Vasile Bumacov said at working visit to the south-eastern Stefan Voda district.

Bumacov said that the wheat harvest is by one third poorer in 2012 against 2011. "The winter crops will also have losses. Yet, the fruits and grapes, that are the basis of the export, are still good," the minister said.

"The great problem represents the small agricultural producers, who need support on behalf of the state. Presently, the farmers do not worry about the food security, that will be ensured, but about the fact that they will have less goods for export. In 2012, we will export only 50,000 tons of wheat and 150,000 tons of sun-flower," Bumacov said.

The minister said the state is looking for solutions to diminish the losses born by farmers. He said that, this week, he summoned a meeting on the facilitation of farmers' access to banking loans and re-scheduling of earlier borrowed credits. Attending the meeting were representatives of commercial banks, Intervention and Payments in Agriculture Agency and Agriculture Employers. Vasile Bumacov added that the banks' representatives, in general, backed the proposals, and the participants in the meeting ruled that it is opportune to consider each case separately.