Romanian Farmers Protest Over Subsidies Delay

More than 1,000 Romanian farmers took part in a protest on Thursday in Bucharest, demanding more subsidies from the government and expressing fears that the EU decision to scrap milk production quotas will ruin them.

Holding up banners that read "Agriculture Minister must go" and "We need more help", the sheep and cattle farmers also complained about delays in payments of European Union subsidies.

"We didn't get yet all EU money for animal feed and the [agriculture] minister is to blame. We fear that as [EU] milk quotas come to an end, many small dairy farmers won't be able to compete," Stefan Nicolae, president of the farmers union Agrostar, said. "Around 60 per cent of small farms are at risk of closure," he added.

Agriculture Minister Daniel Constantin acknowledged the delays but said the payments would be made by the end of the day.

Stan Petre, who owns a sheep farm and a small diary factory, said the EU subsidies he got are not enough, and that matters will get worse following the April 1 decision to scrap milk quotas.

Petre said the EU move would over-saturate the market and send prices down, which is good news for consumers but not for producers like him.

"I am afraid I will not be able to pay my costs anymore," the milk farmer said.

Experts say the EU decision will cause hardship for Romania's small producers and their only solution if they wish to stay on the market is to join forces.

"Farmers in our country can't compete with Western producers who can sell more milk at cheaper prices. Their only solution is to unite, as only such cooperatives can access European funds, collect the milk and close deals with retailers," the agriculture specialist Horatiu Raicu said.

The dairy market is worth almost 900...