The growth pace of imports continues to be much higher than that of the exports, standing in the first five months of the year at 30 percent and, respectively, slightly more than 2 percent, said Agriculture Minister Valeriu Cosarciuc at a meeting with food producers on Friday, Info-Prim Neo reports. Imports in this period were estimated at $252.3 million, which, in the minister’s opinion, indicated a huge absorption capacity of the domestic market not covered by domestic products. The meeting participants pointed out the issues that needed urgent solving, among them: the pressure exerted by imported goods on the domestic producers, the refusal of certain large retail networks to market domestic goods, the influence of the large energy costs on the prices of the domestic goods, the lack of adequately equipped laboratories for product certification, the discriminatory treatment at the customs and other agencies involved in procedures of issuing certificates, etc. Minister Valeriu Cosarciuc promised the producers he would include the broached issues in the ministerial agenda. He also encouraged the producers to make every effort to overcome the situation where the imports exceed by far the exports.