The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MADR) announces that an Emergency Ordinance has been adopted to establish temporary support measures for agricultural producers to manage the effects of the pedological drought phenomenon in 2023 and as a result of Russia's aggression against Ukraine.

The normative act establishes temporary support measures, valid until December 31, 2024, for agricultural producers and those in the food industry to manage the effects of the pedological drought phenomenon in 2023 and Russia's aggression against Ukraine. These measures allow debtors to request creditors, such as credit institutions or non-banking financial institutions, to suspend the obligation to pay overdue claims and the due installments of loans, representing principal, interest, and fees resulting from credit or leasing contracts obtained for agricultural and food industry activities.

These measures apply to debtors whose incomes have been directly or indirectly affected by the serious situation caused by the pedological drought phenomenon in 2023, as well as the effects felt in the agricultural sector due to Russia's war against Ukraine in February 2022.

The beneficiaries include individual farmers, individual entrepreneurs, individual enterprises, legal entities regardless of their legal status or mode of organization, small and medium-sized enterprises, agricultural societies, producer groups and organizations, agricultural cooperatives, variety testing organizations, research institutions, universities, and research and development stations in the agricultural field, regardless of their legal status or funding method.

It is specified that the beneficiaries of this Emergency Ordinance are agricultural producers who have concluded credit or leasing contracts with credit institutions or non-banking financial institutions, and for whom the creditor has not declared early maturity before the entry into force of this emergency ordinance.

This Emergency Ordinance does not impact the budget of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.