Moldovan farmers may submit applications on financing from Polish credit

Chisinau, 9 December /MOLDPRES/- Moldovan farmers may submit applications on financing from a Polish credit worth 100 million euros starting from 10 December. 

The Polish government provided the loan for enhancing the competitiveness in the Moldovan agricultural sector in preferential conditions for a 25-year period, at an interest rate of 0.15 per cent yearly and a five-year grace period.

"Moldova is a country very close to Poland and is especially helped in its path of rapprochement with EU. I believe that this loan will offer Moldova a chance to continue the European integration path and the country's modernisation", Polish ambassador to Chisinau Artur Michalski said. He added that the support would help the Moldovan farmers become more competitive, and the residents from rural areas to improve their living conditions.

"When Poland was preparing to join the EU, rural people were most scared, and now, 10 years after the accession, nobody doubts the benefits brought by this process", he also noted.

The head of the Agency for Intervention and Payments in Agriculture, Petru Maleru, pointed out that, in the immediately next period, a team would be created dealing with implementation of the Polish credit. The agency signed a cooperation agreement with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, providing for informing the economic agents on the access to financing opportunities, identification of partners and foreign equipment providers and their assessment, different training, expertise and evaluation services.

Under the credit agreement, 90 million euros will be invested in re-organising the agricultural sector, especially, farms specialized in traditional agricultural products (milk, meat), as well as other competitive products, 10 million euros will be used for modernising industry and the infrastructure related to infrastructure.

The beneficiaries will receive financing for a 5-8-year period, a 1.5-per cent interest rate and 4-year grace period, according to the first come-first served principle.