Fruit and vegetable producers in Romania are requesting state intervention following severe frost damage to the country's horticultural production, as reported by Ziarul Financiar. The Association of Agricultural Producer Groups and Organisations "Fruleg-Ro" highlighted the potential rise in imports and prices, affecting inflation and trade deficits.
The "Fruleg-Ro" association, encompassing the 50 largest national cooperatives, noted that extreme weather from late February to April caused near-total crop failure, impacting industry and rural employment. Romania's fruit and vegetable sectors span over 140,000 and 93,000 hectares, respectively, producing 1.4 million tons of fruits and 2.3 million tons of vegetables annually.
Fruleg-Ro emphasized that without compensation, the repercussions of this year's losses could be lasting, with orchard abandonment posing a threat. "An abandoned orchard, to which specific conservation works are not applied, has minimal chances of recovery, even in a subsequent favourable meteorological context," stated the association.
Romania's dependency on imports is notable, with 40% of fruits and 25% of vegetables sourced externally. In 2023, fruit imports totaled 915,000 tons, valued at EUR 940 million, with Turkey, Greece, Germany, and Poland as key suppliers. Fruleg-Ro warns that without governmental aid, import reliance may increase, affecting Romania's food and economic security.
Source: Romania Insider