Moreover, their representatives in the rank of ministers and deputies have demonstrated their readiness to maintain a dialog with their discontented fellow citizens. And not only at the walls of state institutions and under the crosshairs of video cameras, but also in their offices – without unnecessary eyes.
In the afternoon of the same day, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Ludmila Catlabuga and the Minister of Finance Andrian Gavrilita held a “substantive” meeting with the Forța Fermierilor association.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry (MAIA), “the discussions focused on the requests formulated by the association, as well as on measures that are currently being implemented or are in preparation to support agricultural producers”.
The Ministry listed the support measures
The ministry emphasizes that the attraction of European funds to support Moldova’s agricultural sector remains a permanent item on the agenda of discussions with external partners. In the context of the future European financial program for 2028-2034, the formulas through which Moldova can benefit from extended support mechanisms for agriculture are being analyzed.
Starting from May 11, 2026, the applications for partial compensation of excise duties on diesel fuel purchased by agricultural producers in the period from March 1 to May 31, 2026 are open. The government has allocated 110 million lei from the reserve fund for this purpose, while the amount of support per beneficiary may reach 200,000 lei.
Since the announcement of the contest on May 11 and till today, the Agency for Support and Payments in Agriculture has received more than 600 applications.
At the same time, MAIA is preparing a new mechanism to support the purchase of fertilizers and phytosanitary means. This instrument will be managed by the Agency for Development and Modernization of Agriculture (ADMA) and will allow farmers to pay only 15% of the price of these goods at the time of purchase, and the rest – during 12 months. The mechanism is scheduled to be launched in August 2026.
In parallel, in April this year, the Agricultural Credit program was expanded with the Agricultural Working Capital component, which gives farmers access to financing of up to LE 500 thousand with a fixed interest rate of 5.1% per annum and a maturity of up to 5 years. By May 22, 2026, 41 enterprises were financed under this component for a total amount of 16.54 million lei.
The government also modified the VAT refund mechanism for agricultural producers. For tax periods from March to December 2026, farmers will be able to request a refund of up to LE 200,000 per month under simplified and more accessible conditions for small and medium-sized farms. The application can be submitted after submitting the VAT return for the tax periods included in the VAT refund program. The VAT refund is realized within 25 working days from the date of application.
In addition, the government recently allocated MDL 50 million from the National Fund for Agriculture and Rural Development to support farmers affected by corn and sunflower crop failure due to drought and heat waves in 2025.
Beginning May 25, 2026, farmers affected by the 2025 drought and heat wave can apply to AIPA for non-refundable financial assistance. The application process is open until and including June 22, 2026.
Regarding direct payments per hectare, MAIA said, “Moldova continues to harmonize agricultural policies with European Union practices. Starting from 2027, in some priority sectors of agricultural production, a mechanism for area-based payments will be launched (apparently, we are talking about targeted subsidies “per hectare” for sugar beet and vegetable plantations – note LP). This mechanism will be gradually extended to other crops”.
Issues related to fiscal policy in agriculture, including the VAT rate, VAT refunds and diesel excise tax compensation, are analyzed by the Ministry of Finance in the context of a broader fiscal policy, which should take into account the budget balance, the financial capacity of the state, the commitments undertaken and the need for uniform rules for the economic environment.
By the way, in the context of “uniform rules”. On the same day, Moldovan media quoted Finance Minister Adrian Gavrilite as saying that the decision on a single VAT rate of 20% (for the entire agri-food chain – LP note ) has not yet been made, and “when such a decision is made, there will be a public statement, with explanations”.
Earlier, information appeared in the public space that the authorities discussed the rate increase with the IMF mission. At the time, Adrian Havrilice emphasized that no such conditions had been set.
However, now PAS MP Alexandru Trubca said (as a fait accompli – LP note ) “that the increase in VAT for agricultural products from 8% to 20% will partially affect food prices”.
Summarizing the “anti-crisis dialogue” with the Forța Fermierilor asset, the MAIA press service summarized: “the parties agreed that discussions will continue in the coming period, including to clarify some aspects related to taxation in agriculture”.
Forța Fermierilor‘s conclusions
“Unfortunately, we have not heard any concrete promises with deadlines for the implementation of our demands set out in the appeal of 27 April 2026, which are fully in line with European practice,” the organization said in a statement following the discussion with the heads of ministries. – We are always ready for a dialog with the authorities, which will lead to real solutions to protect micro, small and medium-sized farmers in the grain and oilseed sectors.
We categorically reject accusations of politicking. We are only interested in agricultural policies that benefit farmers in rural areas. Two ministers and MPs from three parliamentary factions spoke at our protest. There was no provocation on our part (probably referring to media reports that Minister Adrian Gavrilite was booed by the protesting farmers – LP note ). To protect the interests of our members, we have cooperated and will continue to cooperate with all parliamentary political forces. We believe that some high-ranking officials resort to unfounded claims of politicization, especially when they have no other arguments.”
“Forța Fermierilor reiterated the position voiced during the warning protest. “We will wait another seven days to see what the authorities’ response to the farmers’ demands will be. The lack of urgent and decisive solutions will demonstrate the complete disconnect between decision-makers and the reality on the ground. If we don’t see further concrete actions or clear commitments with precise deadlines, the Board of the organization will decide to continue the protests in other forms.”
By the way, the “set of forms”, apparently, the further it goes, the narrower it gets. In a conversation with a Logos Press correspondent, Forța Fermierilor representatives noted that it is becoming increasingly difficult to organize mass protests of farmers on tractors and in the center of the capital due to the opposition of the authorities.
