The drought during recent months has decimated crops in Vrancea and Braila, raising calls from agricultural associations to Romania's Agriculture Ministry to declare an emergency situation and provide relief for farmers in the two areas.

According to the officials from the local associations, the crops are badly compromised because of the drought, with maize and sunflower crops the worst affected. Damages are estimated at billions of euros and small scale farmers will be unable to recover their investments.

"I was not really understood, the Minister said he would try to put a state of emergency into effect in Romania and take countermeasures by reducing energy prices, but Vrancea has suffered an intense drought for two months. Everything is compromised with the sunflower and maize crops, we cannot save anything,” said the president of the Association of Manufacturers of Cereals Constantin Bazon yesterday ( July 25 ).

In Vrancea the irrigated area has decreased year by year since 2009, falling to 1,400 hectares last year. In Braila the most affected areas are at the edge of the county where, because of the distance, the costs are significant.

Ioana Toader, ioana.toader@romania-insider.com

photo source: sxc.hu