In an interview for Ziarul Financiar, Constantin Toma, one of the biggest Romanian industrialists, though not a very well-known one, and whose Romet group posts 275 million euros in turnover per year, says industry and agriculture are the main drivers of the economy and that the state should focus on developing them because if they perform well, the other sectors will follow their lead and see growth.
The crisis showed that the countries that developed their industry and their agriculture saw a faster rebound. Romania discovers after twenty years that it holds plots that are worth as much as a gold mine amid the high rise of food prices.
"I was reading in Ziarul Financiar as a matter of fact that Germany had strong economic growth last year because it bet on industry. I think for Romania as well, industry and agriculture should be the main growth drivers, and the focus of our politicians. If you have a performing industry and agriculture, you also have competitive prices," says Constantin Toma, who between 2000 and 2004 was a senator of the then ruling PSD (Social-Democratic Party) in the Romanian Parliament.
Toma says it is good that foreigners come to invest in Romania, as is the case of Renault or Nokia, but that there should be a stronger local industry.
The Romet holding has grown in all crisis years since 2008 until the present as a result of the large amounts of money pumped into Romania via projects financed with EU funds for water networks and sewerage infrastructure.
"For 2011 I am optimistic because prices in agriculture cannot fall any further. My forecast is for a 10-15% rise and I hope this year our turnover will exceed the 300 million-euro mark (...),"Toma adds.
In an interview for Ziarul Financiar, Constantin Toma, one of the biggest Romanian industrialists, though not a very well-known one, and whose Rom
