Radio România Internațional

Tag: wheat

March 29, 2024 UPDATE

GRAIN Romania’s grain output went up by 9 percent last year, up to 21 million tons mainly due to the more productive types sowed, the National Institute for Statistics said. The growth has been influenced by the 11% increase in the wheat production, which accounts for 47% of the total grain production. Data shows that Romania ranks fourth in Europe in terms of wheat production after France, Germany and Poland.

DST Romania will this weekend implement the Daylight Saving Time DST and will set clocks forward by one hour. So, three AM becomes four AM and Sunday becomes the shortest day of the year. The change takes place a couple of days after the Spring equinox on March 20^th, when days are equal with nights. Thanks to the DST, Romania will have a three hours advance against the GMT as compared to only two in winter. DST is expected to last a little under seven months, nearly 65% of the year covering the seasons of spring, summer and half of autumn. The EU members were supposed to announce their decision to permanently adopt the summer or winter time until 2021. However, discussions on the issue still continue.

SCHENGEN As of March 31st, air and maritime checks on Schengen borders will be lifted for Romania and Bulgaria. This means that documents will no longer be checked. In Romania, border policemen can still make unannounced checks, based on a risk analysis. The preparations taking place on 17 airports and four maritime ports in Romania have come to an end. Also, to prepare for 31st March, some big airports in Romania, such as the ones in Iasi and Timisoara, have opened new terminals. Initiated in 1985 as an intergovernmental project between five states – France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg – and after seven waves of expansion, the Schengen area is currently the largest free movement area in the world. With the accession of Romania and Bulgaria, it expands to 4.5 million square km and a population of 450 million.

NATO From the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea, across the Atlantic and the Adriatic, NATO is more united and more capable than ever, US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, said on Friday in a message on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the largest wave of expansion in the Alliance’s history. On behalf of the United States, Blinken congratulated Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of their accession to NATO. The Romanian President Klaus Iohannis has also said that Romania will remain deeply involved in the process of permanent adaptation of NATO, so that the Alliance becomes stronger, more resilient and better prepared for the future. In the 20 years of NATO membership, Romania has become an important pillar and has consolidated its position within the alliance, respecting its security commitments in the Black Sea area, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said. NATO was established in 1949 as a security alliance between the United States, Canada and 10 West European countries. Sweden is the youngest member, as it has joined NATO this year. There are currently 32 states making up the Alliance.

(bill)

29 March 2024
September 21, 2023

ACCIDENT A
criminal investigation was initiated with respect to the blast that occurred last
night on a gas pipeline on the Moldova Motorway construction site in eastern
Romania, in which four people died and 5 others were injured. Two men with burn
wounds affecting 30% and 40% of their bodies, respectively, were transferred to hospitals in
Bucharest. Prosecutors are investigating manslaughter and bodily harm offences,
as well as failure to take or observe work safety measures. According to the
Vrancea Emergency Inspectorate, the blast was caused by the construction works
conducted in the vicinity of the pipeline, which was also carrying natural gas
to the neighbouring Republic of Moldova.

TAXES The
Cabinet had a first discussion on the set of measures aimed at the long-term
rebalancing of the state budget and at facilitating the absorption of tens of
billions in EU funding. Apart from cutting down public
spending, the bill focuses on fighting tax evasion, introduces taxes on large
profits and wealth, and eliminates tax privileges. Ahead of the Cabinet meeting,
the measures were discussed in the three-party Social Dialogue Council, which
brings together government officials and representatives of employer
associations and trade unions.

UN The wider
Black Sea area must be protected against the effects of Russia’s war against
Ukraine, the president of Romania Klaus Iohannis said in his address at the UN
General Assembly in New York. The Romanian official added that his country
would not let down its most vulnerable partners, and mentioned the transit of
Ukrainian grain via Romania, a topic he also approached in talks with the
president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of the European
Commission Ursula von der Leyen and Bulgaria’s deputy prime minister, Mariya
Gabriel. President Iohannis also said Romania was concerned with the effects of
climate change, of pollution, of energy insecurity, and is making visible
efforts to fight them. According to him, climate education is a priority for
Romania, and the climate-security interconnection should rank higher on the UN
agenda. Stay tuned for more details on the Romanian president’s address at the
UN after the news.

WHEAT Egypt’s General
Authority for Supply Commodities (GASC) announced having purchased 120,000
tonnes of wheat from Romania in an international purchasing tender, Reuters
reports. GASC also said that since early June Cairo has imported approx. 2.14
million tonnes of wheat, mainly from Russia (1.5 million tonnes) and Romania
(420,000 tonnes). Egypt is the world’s largest wheat buyer, mainly for its
national bread subsidy programme benefiting more than 70 million of its 103
million citizens.

BUCHAREST The
Romanian capital city is celebrating these days 564 years since its first
mention in official documents. Maps, plans, archive images and 3-dimensional
scale models showcasing the 19th Century history of the city are
displayed in an exhibition opened until Sunday at the ARCUB Cultural Centre. On
Saturday, around 200 arts high school students will dance in front of the
National History Museum of Romania, and the music of old-time Bucharest will be
performed in the George Enescu Festival Square in front of the Romanian
Athenaeum. (AMP)

21 September 2023
Romania has enough cereals to cover its domestic demand

With 300 thousand hectares affected by drought out of its 7 million cultivated with cereals, authorities in Romania are carefully assessing the situation to be able to cope even with the worst-case scenarios. Last year Romania reported record high harvests of 11.3 million tons of wheat but bad weather conditions this year have wreaked havoc on the crops and so have the higher production costs.

This years harvest is lower by 15-18% than in 2021, Romanias Agriculture Minister Petre Daea has admitted.

Petre Daea: “Parts of the entire quantity of cereals harvested will be stored in depots and storehouses, other parts will be delivered to processing plants so that they may turn the grain into flour, others will be dispatched to bakeries and processing plants to meet the domestic demand and of course well see what quantities we can export.”

According to Minister Daea there is enough wheat to cover Romanias domestic needs estimated somewhere around 2.5 – 3 million tons and there is also a surplus, which can be exported. Although the quantity is lower than last year, the grain quality is superior; Minister Daea went on to say.

According to the latest data released, the extremely hot temperatures of late and the prolonged drought have affected crops in three quarters of Romanias counties. The most affected proved to be the corn and sunflower crops where harvest works started earlier that last year. “We are first harvesting the crops affected because they have reached maturity and in this way we can minimize losses. And sunflower harvests will be reaching processing plants shortly” Minister Daea also said

In order to support the farmers, the Ministry of Agriculture has allowed them to turn the affected crops into fodder. Furthermore, the Ministry has also issued a Guide of Good Farming Practices in order to enable farmers to cope with the latest climate changes and severe drought. “Climate change is real, it is no longer fiction, and for this reason we must use all the means we have so that the production level and its proper valorization may positively impact Romanias economy” says Minister Daea. Romania is one of the EUs biggest grain exporters and also an active exporter to the Middle East; the main importer here being Egypt. Romanias grain is exported through the countrys main sea port at Constanta, presently also used by another great grain producer, Ukraine, after the blockade imposed by Russia.

11 August 2022
July 22, 2022

RESOURCES
PM Nicolae Ciucă promised that Romania will have the necessary natural gas to
cover demand for the coming winter. The PM said more than 1.6 billion cubic
meters of gas is already stored, and the energy plan stipulates 80% of the
total capacity will be reached by November 1. Meanwhile, he said that in spite
of the drought, there is enough wheat to cover the domestic demand and export
commitments and that there are no reasons to worry about the maize and sunflower
crops.

HEAT WAVE The prime minister of Romania
Nicolae Ciucă has today asked prefects to conduct information and prevention
campaigns so that people are aware of the risks entailed by the high
temperatures and that activities to mitigate the effects of the heat wave may
be coordinated. He added that it was important for all localities to have cooling
shelters and medical teams providing assistance and free water. PM Ciucă also requested the
authorities to take steps to ensure navigability on the River Danube. The low
water flow has made it nearly impossible to navigate the Danube, with several
vessels stranded in sand and scores of cruise ships cancelling their stopovers
in the port of Giurgiu over the past month.

COVID-19 Nearly 7,400 new COVID cases
were reported over the past 24 hours, out of around 24,400 tests, the
authorities announced on Friday. Over 2,600 COVID-19 patients are hospitalised,
171 of them in intensive care. Seven COVID-related deaths have also been reported.
Hospitals are beginning to take measures, including increasing the number of
beds set aside for COVID patients, regular staff and patient testing, and
cancelling visiting hours in order to reduce the risk of infection.

REFUGEES The Romanian
Border Police announced today that 11,511 Ukrainian nationals entered Romania
on Thursday, 4.5% fewer than the
previous day.
According to a news release, border checks are conducted efficiently and in
line with the national and EU legislation, and border police units are working
at full capacity.

UKRAINE Turkey announced an agreement was reached,
which would enable Ukraine to export grains via Black Sea routes. The deal is
to be signed in Istanbul today by officials from Ukraine, Turkey, Russia and
the UN. Three main provisions in the agreement are already known. First, Russia
must guarantee ceasefire during the shipments. Secondly, Ukraine must guide grain
ships in and out through mined port waters. Finally, Turkey, supported by the
United Nations, is to inspect ships in order to dispel Russian fears of weapons
smuggling. This is the first major agreement reached by Russia and Ukraine
since the start of the invasion.

FOOTBALL Romanian football champions CFR Cluj won 3-0 against
Inter Club d’Escaldes, of Andorra, played on Thursday night on home turf in the
first leg of the second round of Europa Conference League’s qualifiers. In the
same competition, the winners of
Romania’s Cup, Sepsi OSK Sfântu Gheorghe defeated 3-1 at home the Slovenian
side Olimpija Ljubljana. Romania’s 2 other representatives in Europa
Conference League played away from home. Universitatea Craiova drew against the
Albanian side Vllaznia Shkoder, 1-1, and vice-champions FCSB were defeated by FC
Saburtalo Tbilisi, of Georgia. (AMP)

22 July 2022
Severe drought in Romania

In 2015, Romania was launching a programme to revamp its old irrigation system. It was an ambitious 5-year programme targeting a total surface area of around 2 million hectares by the end of 2020.

However, at present only about 850,000 hectares are irrigable, and the programme was extended several years. In other words, only 10% of the countrys total farm area can be irrigated.

Even so, farmers have only filed applications for around 100,000 hectares, says the line minister Adrian Oros. The situation is dramatic, because although Romania takes pride in its fertile land, its agriculture continues to rely heavily on the weather.

And it has hardly rained at all in Romania over the past few months, there was little to no snow during the winter, and the consequences are increasingly evident.

According to centralised data, in April we had 7 litres of precipitation per square metre, as opposed to an average of 53 litres.

In short, Romania is facing a drought described by Minister Adrian Oros as “strong and extreme, as we havent seen in recent years.

The worst situation in reported in Dobrogea, Bărăgan and Moldavia, that is in the south-east, south and east of the country. Here is how Nicolae Moraru, the mayor of a village in the east, describes the situation:

Nicolae Moraru: “There are farmers in difficult positions, who own 400 – 500 hectares each and incur substantial expenses. They are threatened by bankruptcy. They have used their land, property, homes as collaterals. The situation is disastrous in our region.

According to the Agriculture Ministry, 3 million hectares under crops since autumn are already destroyed. The rape, wheat, rye and barley crops are the most affected. Many farmers already warn that bread will be more expensive this autumn, although authorities argue that it is too soon to tell.

In an interview to a private TV channel, minister Adrian Oros explained that even if half of the crops were destroyed, the domestic demand would still be covered:

Adrian Oros: “It is much too soon. What happens in Europe and in the rest of the world is also important. During the good years, when it rained enough, Romanias wheat yield was 7, 8 or even 9 million tons of wheat, and we only use around 2 and a half to 3 million tons. The same for maize, the yield was 14-15 million tons, and the maximum demand in Romania is 7 million tons. So even if half the crops were destroyed, the domestic demand would still be covered.

Weather experts bring us a piece of good news: on Friday they expect rain across the country. But the precipitation amount is not likely to be very large—an average of 10 litres per square metre.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

27 April 2020
August 9, 2018 UPDATE

PROTEST – A large-scale protest by members of the Romanian diaspora against the ruling coalition is scheduled to take place on Friday in front of the government headquarters in Bucharest. City Hall announced that the protest is not organised by anyone in particular, as the law provides, as no entity has applied for a protest protocol. One man who was broadcast urging people towards violence against the authorities has been indicted by organised crime prosecutors. The Communications director for the Romanian gendarmes Marius Militaru told potential protesters on Thursday to refrain from giving way to provocations towards violence. Bucharest gendarme spokesperson Georgian Enache called on protesters to aid public order enforcers to do their job in case violence ensues.

EU PRESIDENCY – Some 1,500 experts have been trained for Romanias taking over the rotating presidency of the EU Council on January 1, 2019, the minister delegate for European affairs, Victor Negrescu, told a TV channel on Thursday. According to him, the training programme started last year, with support from the European Institute in Romania, the European Commission and the General Secretariat of the EU Council. The Romanian official explained that these experts must be able to listen to the views of member states and come up with consensual solutions acceptable to all member countries.

GRAINS – The research firm Strategie Grains has cut its forecast for this years European wheat harvest to a 6-year low. Analysts say this is because circumstances in northern Europe led to disastrous crops, whereas favourable conditions in Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Italy and Spain offset the pressures on crops caused by the hot and dry weather in Germany, Poland, France and the Czech Republic, Reuters reports. The crop forecaster also emphasises that Romania and Bulgaria will have more wheat for fodder, thanks to the recent rainfalls. In a report released on Thursday, the French company estimates that the EUs wheat crop will amount to 127.7 million tonnes, 10% less than last year. Meanwhile, the harvest in Romania, the Unions 3rd largest wheat exporter, might decrease by at least 20% this year, the head of the Romanian League of Farmer Associations Laurenţiu Baciu warned last week.

DEFENCE – The Romanian Defence Minister Mihai Fifor Thursday received the new Ambassador of Slovakia to Romania, Karol Mistrik. The talks focused on bilateral cooperation within NATO and EU projects and initiatives. The 2 officials also discussed the importance of implementing the decisions made at the recent NATO Summit in Brussels, and expressed interest in strengthening the bilateral cooperation in the defence sector.

DIPLOMACY – The Romanian Foreign Ministry responded on Thursday to statements made by Italys deputy PM Matteo Salvini, who accused Romania and Bulgaria of sending slaves to Western Europe. According to Mediafax news agency, Bucharest says any connections made between the citizens of a country and a crime category is unacceptable. Romania takes responsibility for what its citizens do abroad, and has adopted the international standards for the prevention and combating of human trafficking, being a signatory of the main relevant international documents. Matteo Salvini, Interior Minister and deputy PM of Italy and leader of the radical Northern League party, has accused Romania and Bulgaria of sending slaves into western Europe, and asked for measures to restrict human trafficking and exploitation.

WEST NILE – A person died in Romania from the West Nile virus, the National Centre for Infectious Disease Monitoring and Control announced on Thursday. The man was 79 years old and suffered from chronic diseases. The Public Health Ministry announced there is no risk of an epidemic, and the cases reported so far are isolated. Experts warn that West Nile is not transmitted between humans, but that it is spread through mosquito bites. 23 West Nile patients have been confirmed in Romania since early May.

SWINE FEVER – In Brăila County, in south-eastern Romania, 2 new African swine fever hotbeds were confirmed on Thursday, bringing the county total to 18. According to the latest data, the total number of hotbeds in Romania is nearly 580, in over 100 villages in 8 counties. More than 78,000 pigs have been culled. The owners will receive compensations for their losses, and the forthcoming budget adjustment earmarks additional funding for eradicating this disease.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)

9 August 2018
Courgettes. Wheat in cooking.

Courgettes

Courgettes, also known as zucchini, have a wide variety of uses. One very easy to make dish is fried courgettes. Take three medium sized courgettes, as larger ones have tougher seeds. Cut off the ends, and cut it into half inch slices. Sprinkle salt on them and leave them to sweat. Douse them in flour, shaking off the excess. Beat an egg, mix in a bit of ground black pepper, and dip the slices in the egg. Fry in oil at medium heat. You can serve hot or cold. They go well with the garlic sauce of your choice.

Another great application are courgettes stuffed with ground chicken meat. Large size courgettes go well with this application, after you scoop out the seeds. You also need two onions, one carrot, one capsicum, a few tomatoes, a bunch of fresh dill, as well as thyme, black pepper, and paprika. Cut the courgettes in two lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds. Chop the capsicum and onions finely, grate the carrot, then sweat them in oil. You can add the scooped out core, if the seeds arent tough. Add the ground chicken meat, along with the dill, finely chopped, and the herbs and spices. Place the mixture into the courgettes, then cover with tomato slices. Put the courgettes into a deep oven tray. Chop up the remaining tomatoes, then place them in the tray, covering in water. Bake for about 45 minutes at medium heat. At the end, you can sprinkle with fresh parsley. Serve hot, garnishing with sour cream.

Wheat in cooking

It is wheat harvest time, and in Romanian rural life, that is a crucial yearly event. Wheat is a fundamental part of harvest rituals, and it is also closely associated with traditional religious events, such as the celebration of St. Elijah’s day.

In times before staples such as corn, potatoes and rice had yet to reach Europe, wheat was not considered only something to make bread out of, but also as a major side dish. One dish mostly lost is one that was a staple for sailors and dockworkers in ports on the Danube. While shipping the wheat, the river boatmen would boil wheat in a large covered pot, then add sautéed onion and chopped tomato to it, a little wine, and the fish. This mixture would be simmered no more than 30 minutes, taking care not to overcook the fish.

Another recipe that might interest you is one inspired by the popular pilaf, but we will substitute wheat for the rice. Take half a kilogram of wheat, 3 medium sized onions, a few mushrooms, fresh or tinned, two green peppers, and a bunch of fresh parsley. Boil the wheat with a bit of salt. Separately, sautee in a bit of oil the finely chopped onion, then add the sliced green peppers, and the sliced mushrooms. Keep stirring the sautee until it is well blended, then add it to the boiled wheat. Garnish with the fresh parsley, then serve immediately.

Enjoy!

30 July 2017