The price of bread could increase by up to 30 per cent, warns Agrostar Federation President Niculae Stefan, on account of a decline in wheat production and the policy of the Agriculture Ministry, Agerpres reports. He holds the price rise will take place starting October-December, according to predictions also made by wheat processors and producers. In Niculae Stefan’s view, the hike is also a consequence of the poor policies by the Agriculture Ministry. Stefan holds the view all the successive government over the past few years have poorly negotiated the EU agriculture chapter. He explained that Romania receives the lowest subsidies per hectare of all the European countries, and went on saying the current Agriculture Ministry leadership is “the worst” of the past 20 years, as legislation of state subsidies up to 2013 is yet to be clarified, there are no means for farmer support and European funds are not accessed. The Agrostar president announced the trade union members of the Agrostar Federation will hold street actions in every county seat September 2, and a protest rally in Bucharest September 9, to be attended by 20,000 producers.
