The global small grain production, generated by the problems of major suppliers, the rising prices for agricultural products and implicitly of foodstuffs, are catching Romania "on the wrong foot", states Ştefan Poienaru, one of the most important Romanian farmers, with farming operations worth around 25m euros in 2009.
"The prices of grain that have been soaring since August, with the wheat harvest, and then sunflower and maize, will stay high next year as well, announcing an imminent food crisis. It was only normal that after the energy crisis and the financial one we should also cope with a food crisis, but Romania is not ready as it still has the lowest productivity in Europe," Ştefan Poienaru told ZF. He said the most important steps taken domestically should primarily target improved productivity.
Poienaru owns Agrofam Holding of Feteşti that operates 12,000 hectares of farming land.
Large farmers have a major common problem. Banks are increasingly reluctant to grant loans and this does not apply only for small companies, but also for the ones that have resorted to banks' support for tens of years.
The global small grain production, generated by the problems of major suppliers, the rising prices for agricultural products and implicitly of foodstuffs, are catching Romania "on the wrong foot", states Ştefan Poienaru, one of the most important Romanian farmers, with farming operations worth around 25m euros in 2009.
"The prices of grain that have been soaring since August, with the wheat harvest, and then sunflower and maize, will stay high next year as well, announcing an imminent food crisis. It was only normal that after the energy crisis and the financial one we should also cope with a food crisis, but Romania is not ready as it still has the lowest productivity in Europe," Ştefan Poienaru told ZF. He said the most im
