Secretary of state: Irrigated farming land trebled when state offered free water

The irrigated farming land area trebled compared to 2016, said Floricel Dima, the secretary of states in the Ministry of Agriculture in Galati, on Friday. The government target was not reached, although state offered free water to farmers.

“We had expectations of over a million hectares, but we saw the target cannot be reached because farmers were found unprepared. On one hand they asked us to give them free energy for water or to find a method to give them cheaper water. We gave them free water. In exchange they were not ready with means, equipments, installations,” said Dima at a press conference at the Autumn Fair in Galati.

Dima also said the government decided to encourage farmers who request European funds and want to buy irrigating systems.

“We introduced the facility for farmers to buy irrigating installations for 30% of the project value and the financial aid will be 100%. Because we allow  organizations or federations to purchase irrigating equipment they will be able to increase the irrigated area,”Dima explained.

In 2016, the irrigated land area was 200,000 ha, but in 2017 the area of irrigated land was 600,000 ha, the target being a million hectares.

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