Bio Romania Association encourages farmers to convert to organic production till Aug 29, 2014

Photo credit: Luiza ABU-SALEM / AGERPRES ARCHIVE

The "Bio-Romania" Association of Organic Agriculture Operators recommends that all farmers should register as organic agriculture operators in 2014 until the deadline, Aug 29, 2014, and submit requests to get financial support that could exceed 600 euros in 2015 for the farmers undergoing a period of conversion.

"The Bio Romania Association recommends that all farmers, especially the small and middle-sized ones, should register as operators in organic agriculture in 2014 until August 29, 2014, and submit requests to get financial support according to Government Resolution 759/2010, which will be paid until June 30, 2015. At the repeated request of Bio Romania, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has asked and obtained from the European Commission an increase in the amounts to be allotted to the farmers entering the conversion period in 2014," Bio Romania Chairman Marian Cioceanu said in a release sent to AGERPRES.

According to calculations made by the association, the farmers undergoing the conversion period could get over 600 euros in 2015, according to Government Ordinance 759/2010.

In addition, the representatives of Bio Romania said that besides the subsidies for converting to organic farming, between 2015 and 2020, under the National Rural Development Programme (PNDR), "the organic agriculture will benefit by record amounts, starting from 250 euros per hectare per year up to 400 euros/ha/year, depending on the type of crops."

Under the future PNDR 2014-2020, the organic agriculture has 200 million euros allotted, State Secretary with the Agriculture Ministry, Daniel Botanoiu announced at end-July.

Romania has a huge potential in organic farming, an area of 300,000 ha of arable land that is...

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