A drought of foresight

romania's economic stability is being threatened by a severe drought that has destroyed a majority of the country's agricultural produce. Forestry and agriculture make up 14 per cent of the country's gross domestic product. According to Paul Bondarev, director general of snif, the national reclamation council responsible for the country's irrigation system, wheat, oats, rye and barley are wilting and 40-60 per cent of them are damaged. They cannot be saved because they are now due to be harvested. snif, therefore, is concentrating on trying to save the crops that are to be harvested in autumn.

According to Bondarev, the situation has reached a crisis in some sectors. The country's national defence committee has approved of various emergency measures, including making water available to any farmer who has irrigation facilities.

Bondarev feels that the only hope lies in getting financial assistance from the European Union (eu). "If eu keep us waiting for too long our agriculture may totally perish," he said.