The average price of one hectare of arable land in Romania reached €8,414 in 2024, up by 4.8% compared to 2023, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics (INS). The increase has been consistent over several years, but unevenly distributed: in the Bucharest-Ilfov region, the price exceeds €12,000 per hectare, while in the North-East the average drops to €7,000. In Timiș County, prices range between €10,000 and €15,000 per hectare, also attracting foreign buyers — particularly Dutch and Italian investors. In Arad County, a well-positioned plot near Pecica was sold for €30,000 per hectare, under exceptional infrastructure conditions and real estate potential.

The paradox of the market is evident: agricultural land in Romania is still significantly cheaper than the European average of €11,000 per hectare, but for Romanian farmers with limited resources, the price has become a real barrier. According to the director of Agricover Credit IFN, the typical structure of a large farm shows that only 10–15% of the land is owned, with the rest being leased. The trend toward consolidation is intensifying: larger farmers acquire land from those retiring without successors interested in agriculture — a dynamic with direct consequences on fragmentation and young farmers’ access to land.

The lease market follows the same upward trajectory. Romania remains well below the European average in lease costs — Western countries such as the Netherlands and Italy average €800–840 per hectare per year — but pressure is increasing locally as well. Farmer Marian Samit stated in September 2025 that he is experiencing significant pressure on irrigated land, a situation confirmed by data: lease prices for agricultural land have surged in the past two years in areas with functional irrigation systems, where competition among farmers is intense. The lease law, rejected in February 2025 by the Constitutional Court, is still awaiting a stable legislative form.

The legal framework is evolving. In 2025, Parliament debated several proposals related to the land market: granting local authorities access to purchasing agricultural land outside built-up areas, limiting acquisitions by foreign legal entities, and providing free cadastral registration for land receiving APIA subsidies. The National Agency for Cadastre and Land Registration (ANCPI) announced a free cadastral program in 2,000 communes — an important step toward clarifying property rights and reducing disputes. Farmers without registered land risk not only losing access to subsidies but also being unable to use land as collateral for loans or to access European funds.

(Photo: Magnific)