Romania is currently facing a potential crisis that could turn it from a leader in the agricultural sector into a country at risk of major difficulties, European Parliament Vice President Victor Negrescu said on Friday during a debate on agriculture.
"At national level, we are discussing all the challenges Romania - and this sector in particular - is facing, including new trade agreements and the current fuel price situation. In this context, it is important not only to talk about these challenges, but to act. Today we must sound a serious alarm about the situation Romanian agriculture is going through. Although many of us understand the importance of this sector, we are now facing a possible crisis that could transform Romania from a leader in this field into a country at risk of significant difficulties. The problem is that we must be able to adapt to new requirements, understand global mechanisms, anticipate trends, and increase productivity and competitiveness. We need to create products, develop the value chain, make better use of European funds, build adequate private financing mechanisms, ensure we have young farmers, help large producers grow without being forced to sell to investment funds, and integrate all these companies into a predictable system. We must ensure local products reach store shelves and that we are competitive enough to reach consumers in other parts of the world," Negrescu said.
He added that Romania must first understand where it stands, what risks it faces, and what potential it currently has.
The EP senior official noted that Romania has areas of excellence in agriculture, functional financing tools and "several companies that have become European leaders", but warned that the sector remains "extremely sensitive". He pointed to the strong reaction to the Mercosur discussions as proof of "how volatile the market is and the fact that we are not prepared for such situations, to face competition based on other principles".
Negrescu stressed that Romania faces a productivity gap: "The agricultural sector represents 5% of GDP and 25% of the population. If we look strictly at these figures, we notice there is a productivity problem." He went on to urge farmers to invest in new technologies and production methods, adding that European funding is available, and also called for developing the entire value chain through state aid programs and for shifting focus "not only on mass production, but on quality", insisting that Romania must push for strong standards at EU level. Long-term development, he said, requires "qualified human resources, well-trained people", including young farmers with technical, technological and financial skills.
He argued for more flexible financing tools: "Financing solutions should not be one-off or even annual, but financial institutions must understand that we are talking about longer production cycles and ensure that the fate of a farm does not depend on a single year". Romania, he added, needs local entities capable of operating on goods and financial markets to attract investment and boost competitiveness.
Negrescu warned that the European Commission is moving toward signing more trade agreements: "The agricultural dimension is automatically included, and, regrettably, European decision-makers seem to accept the lowering of standards. The realistic solution for us is to adapt, become more competitive and invest in the areas I mentioned, and which will be definitely included in the report I am responsible for in the European Parliament."
Decision-makers from the agricultural sector, government representatives and economic policy experts gathered on Friday at the conference "Romania in the new global context - Economic, agricultural and commercial opportunities and risks", organized by G4Food.ro and Economedia.ro.
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