The year 2018 was a productive one in the agro-industrial sector. Investments in agriculture rose by over 6.1 billion lei. The applications for subsidies in agriculture hit a record high, with the provided sum exceeding 1 billion lei. Exports rose by about 15%, with the exports to the EU accounting for 56%. The results achieved in agriculture in 2018 were presented by Minister of Agriculture, Regional Development and Environment Nicolae Ciubuc in a news conference on December 20, IPN reports.
According to the minister, the largest part of the investments went to develop postharvest infrastructure. The car and tractor maintenance yard was renovated. There were set up over 4,000 hectares of orchards and the interest on loans raised by farmers was compensated. In the environmental sector, the State Ecological Inspectorate was reformed and there was created the Environment Agency. The Forestry Agency “Moldsilva” and Moldova’s Water Agency will be the next to be restructured. The Ministry focused on the drafting and approval of the secondary legislation on waste and on the intensification of cooperation with the Ukrainian side in the protection and sustainable development of the Nistru River basin.
Asked about the attractiveness of the agricultural sector to foreign investors when only 1% of the foreign direct investment go to agriculture, Nicolae Ciubuc said the potential of local producers to attract investment should be developed. “We have a lot to work yet on the implementation of technologies and motivation of our producers to implement their investment plans,” noted the minister. Even if the foreign investors cannot purchase land in Moldova, they can rent land for a period of up to 39 years. “We can concede farmland, but the process should be followed so that foreign invertors’ intentions are really aimed at developing the agricultural sector, not at other activities,” stated Nicolae Ciubuc.
On December 20, there was launched the next call for applications intended for groups of producers within the Moldova Agriculture Competitiveness Project. Applications can be submitted to the Agency for Intervention and Payments in Agriculture until January 31, 2019. The groups of producers can get grants of up to US$ 350,000 for developing postharvest infrastructure. Also today, there were handed over 28 certificates within the Sustainable Land Management Program that forms part of the same project.
As regards the projects for 2019, the minister said the producers’ access to markets will be facilitated by signing Free Trade Agreements with a number of countries. In 2019, there will be promoted the idea of building an agrifood center in the municipality of Chisinau and of extending it further to regions. Emphasis will be placed on the improvement of competitiveness in the food sector by making investment in postharvest infrastructure. The Ministry of Agriculture aims to make investments in postharvest infrastructure and to improve and develop the infrastructure of rural economy, to renovate and develop villages and to diversify rural economy by non-agricultural activities.
