While the apiarists warn about problems related to subsidization and certification, such as the lack of a dialogue inside the sector, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry calls on these to form representative associations that could submit proposals and solutions at national level given that there is only one beekeepers association and this is not very active owing to internal conflicts, IPN reports.

In a roundtable meeting, beekeepers said that the bee honey producers with the status of legal entity in Moldova represent less than 10%, but this is required for being entitled to subsidies. An explanation is that most of the beekeepers are of an older age and are afraid to keep financial records and perform the procedures required of a legal entity.

In this connection, Minister of Agriculture Eduard Grama said the subsidization regulations clearly provide that the subsidies are intended only for legal entities. In Moldova, these are varied and can be peasant farmsteads or limited liability companies. The established apiarists can also become legal entities if they form an association.

“Associations are needed for promoting the interests of the beekeeping sector because it is harder to discuss with five persons on five areas than to meet with hundreds of people from the same area. Every person has the right to found an Ltd and can also form associations. At least two associations should exist in this area, as in each sector,” stated Eduard Grama.

The minister also said that most of the beekeepers are private individuals who produce a particular quantity of honey, but they face problems related to certification and export when production needs to be increased. In such a situation, the role of the beekeepers association is to stage consultations, especially on the methods of financing and export conditions, as it is provided in the subsidization regulations.

According to Eduard Grama, next year the Ministry of Agriculture will initiate courses for young entrepreneurs and for those who want to know such elementary things as how to make a customs declaration, a contract, given that the Moldovan honey becomes increasingly popular on the EU market and is the only Moldovan product of animal origin that can be exported to the EU and honey production should be thus increased.