Romania's ANIF awards 428 million‑lei irrigation contract to recurring Olt firms

The National Agency for Land Improvements (ANIF) announced a contract worth more than 428 million lei (without VAT) for the rehabilitation of the main irrigation system in the Olt and Teleorman counties. The tender was split into two lots, each receiving two bids. The winning offers came from the same six firms based in Olt, assembled in different consortiums, while larger national contractors such as Hidroconstrucția AG and Electromontaj were excluded despite initially receiving the highest technical scores.

Romania’s irrigation infrastructure, built largely in the 1980s, has deteriorated sharply. Official figures show a drop from about 3.05 million hectares of irrigated land in 1997 to a much smaller effective area today, with many canals and pumping stations damaged, stolen or abandoned. Farmers face high water costs and limited subsidies, leaving large parts of the country vulnerable to drought and reducing agricultural productivity below the EU average.