Top subsidies for agriculture

The top 11 companies which received subsidies from the Agency for Agriculture Payments and Intervention (APIA) are working more than 230,000 hectares of land, some 3 percent of the country’s fertile area.

TCE Trei Brazi company, controlled by businessman Culita Tarata, received the highest amount of funds, with 55,636 hectares, followed by Comcereal Vaslui and Agrocomplex Barlad companies, owned by businessman Adrian Porumboiu, with 37,131 hectares, and Agrocereal Carani company, with 22,222 hectares. With subsidies worth some €100 per hectare in 2008, the 11 companies received a total €23 million.


Because major producers the last on the list of subsidy payments, Romania was fined €8 million in 2007 and a further €5 million in 2008 by the European Union (EU) for delaying payments for agriculture. Agriculture Minister Ilie Sarbu told Business Standard that he plans to change the subsidy policy.

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