2015 was a rather difficult year for the Moldovan farmers. Owing to the unfavorable weather conditions this year, the harvests of all crops were lower than the previous years. Acting Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Ion Sula has told IPN that despite the lower harvests owing to drought, the country’s food and fodder security was ensured.

“The agricultural producers, especially the vegetable and fruit growers, were able to sell the merchandise at more advantageous prices. The technical sorts of grape were of a higher quality and the wine made from grapes grown this year will be thus also better,” stated Ion Sula.

The acting minister noted that in 2015 some of the companies couldn’t export products to Russia owing to the bans imposed by this country. Instead, the Moldovan producers and exporters started to enter new markets of the EU member states.

Among overdue measures, Ion Sula mentioned the non-payment of subsidies in the full amount. The official is yet optimistic that the farmers who didn’t get subsidies this year will receive them next year.

The situation in the anima-breeding sector remained the same. “The number of animals at farms was kept at the same level as last year and effort will be made to maintain it,” said Ion Sula.

In 2016, the Ministry aims to continue the process of modernizing the agrifood sector, to substitute imported products with local ones, to increase the agriculture subsidization fund and to organize the small and medium-sized farmers into business associations so as homogenize the products and increase incomes in rural areas.