The Agency for Financing Rural Investments (AFIR) will open, starting on 15 December 2025, the project submission session for intervention DR-23, financed through the CAP Strategic Plan 2023–2027. The total allocated budget amounts to EUR 165 million, aimed at investments in agricultural product processing and marketing units, with the stated objective of increasing the added value generated in Romania.

Intervention DR-23 targets economic operators seeking to transform agricultural raw materials into finished products processed locally. Eligible sectors include bakery, pastry and confectionery, the milling industry, cereal processing and other agricultural products, the manufacture of complex food products including chocolate, as well as the production of fermented beverages. The focus is on strengthening domestic industrial capacities and reducing the export of unprocessed raw materials.

Non-reimbursable financial support may reach up to EUR 10 million for investments in the bakery sector, and up to EUR 3 million for other eligible types of investments. The funding intensity is up to a maximum of 65%, depending on the type of applicant and the nature of the project. These ceilings position DR-23 among the most substantial funding lines available to the food industry within the current CAP framework.

Eligible investments include the establishment of new processing units, the expansion or modernization of existing capacities, the acquisition of modern equipment and technologies, the development of storage and conditioning facilities, as well as the creation or expansion of marketing channels. The program also allows financing for own-brand retail outlets, online sales platforms, digitalization solutions, and investments in energy efficiency, in line with European green and digital transition objectives.

Project submission will be carried out exclusively online, through the AFIR platform, during the period 15 December 2025 – 16 February 2026. Intervention DR-23 represents a strategic instrument for Romanian processors aiming to strengthen industrial capacities, increase competitiveness, and achieve higher valorization of national agricultural production.