Moldova has over 2.5 million hectares of farmland, which is more than the farmland possessed by even larger EU countries, and the agricultural sector, which now provides jobs to over 1/3 of the country’s population, has a much greater potential. Investments are needed for Moldova to increase the competitiveness of its agricultural products, to have more products with high value added and to reduce imports. The issue was discussed in the international conference “High Value Agriculture in Moldova: Investment and Export opportunities” that was staged by the Millennium Challenge Corporation and the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) Moldova, IPN reports.
In the opening of the conference, MCA Moldova executive director Valentina Badrajan said the Compact nears completion, as it ends this September. During the last five years, since its launch, a number of irrigation systems were rehabilitated and a very good road was built between Sarateni and Soroca.
Attending the event, U.S. Ambassador to Chisinau James Pettit underlined the importance of rehabilitating the irrigation systems for agriculture and of continuing investing in this area so as to maintain the rehabilitated systems and restore new ones.
Acting minister of agriculture and food industry Ion Sula said that agriculture remains one of the main sectors of the national economy, which employs about 30% of the population. Agriculture accounts for 47% of the exports and for over 12% of the GDP. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry continues to work out and implement policies to develop agriculture, oriented mainly to high value added products. “We have an enormous potential, which is to be realized, especially in horticulture, animal-breeding sector, etc. We have three objectives: to modernize the sector; to enhance competitiveness, and to substitute imports as we continue to import products that we can grow at home. We often export raw material and import products with high value added,” stated the official.
Lilia Palii, secretary of state at the Ministry of Economy, said the Compact created opportunities for the transition and modernization of infrastructure in agriculture. The opportunities of making investments in the agricultural sector are increasing in number. “Now the Government aims to increase the competitiveness of the Moldovan products so that these meet the EU standards. The Government ensures the continuity of the profound structural reforms so as to create a favorable environment for attracting investments. In Moldova there are many foreign companies that make investments. We have over 180 U.S. companies that invested in Moldova. By signing the Association Agreement with the EU, Moldova pledged to make progress on the path of European integration so as to make the country stronger,” stated Lilia Palii.
Former minister of agriculture Vasile Bumacov, who was invited to the event as an expert, said the Moldovan agriculture does not have chances without investments, while the agri-food sector is very important for the country. One third of the country’s population works in agriculture and this figure goes up, which means that the sector has a great potential for creating workplaces. By efficiently using soil, the Moldovan farmers will be able to produce several times more than now.
