After growth during three years, in 2019 the agricultural sector witnessed a reduction of about 2% in production in the animal breeding and vegetable sectors. According to the programs director of the Institute for Development and Social Initiatives “Viitorul” Viorel Chivriga, this shows that agriculture started to slow down owing to the weather conditions with which the farmers haven’t yet learned to cope, IPN reports.

In the program “15 minutes of economic realism” produced by “Viitorul” in partnership with RFE/RL’s Moldovan Service, Viorel Chivriga said the animal breeding sector has been seriously affected by problems for over a decade. The number of animals decreases annually. 85% of the cattle are in the domestic sector and the animal breeding sector will thus never grow.

According to the expert, to overcome the problems the animal breeding sector should be financed and assisted so that it is organized and developed. If nothing is done, dysfunctions will appear on the market as in the case of dairy products a large part of which are imported.

Viorel Chivriga noted the production in the vegetable sector remained stagnant even if the area of agricultural fields increased. The prices of some of the products rose by over 50%. This points to the shortage of products or the poor quality of some of the products that are replaced with imports.

Even if Moldova is primarily an agricultural country, Moldovans do not develop high-value agriculture, with some exceptions. This is proven by the crops than are lower in value than in some of the European states.

The expert recommended compiling a list of priority measures that would be subsidized. If there is stability, output and a segment of exporters visible on other markets, the potential existing in agriculture can be realized.