Valentin’s story: An essential loan for premium raspberries

Raspberry farmer, Valentin Verzea, focuses on local production and boasts the freshest supermarket raspberries in Romania. Valentin’s successful transition from bank manager to farmer was made possible thanks to a EUR 500 000 loan under the EAFRD risk-sharing financial instrument. Thanks to this financing, Mr. Verzea was able to buy new equipment, expand his irrigation network and upgrade the refrigerating facility. The loan also helped him transition from soil production to pots and substrate, doubling production and improving quality.  

Small and medium-sized farms in Romania often have strained economic performance. This video case study shows how the EAFRD Risk Sharing Loan financial instrument plays a key role to facilitate access to finance for farmers in Romania, stimulating growth and job creation in the sector.