Moldova risks remaining without wheat, Vasile Bumacov

The Government Wednesday will decide if it is opportune to impose restrictions on the export of wheat. After a meeting with representatives of companies working in the field, Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Vasile Bumacov said Moldova risks remaining without wheat in a month if the exports remain at the same level, Info-Prim Neo reports. According to the Agriculture Ministry, the volume of wheat exported during the last half a year (from August 1 until January 31) exceeded three times the quantities sold abroad in the corresponding period last year. “We will present data showing that the country’s food security can be seriously affected and the Government will decide what the best solution is,” Vasile Bumacov said. The minister considers the imposing of restrictions on the export of wheat is a necessary measure for ensuring the country’s food security and for preventing the rise in the price of bread. Until the new harvest, Moldova needs 145,000 tonnes of food wheat and 126,000 tonnes of fodder wheat. If the internal reserves are insufficient, the country will have to import wheat at much higher prices. Vasile Bumacov also said that the exporters of wheat now make overprofit. The wheat was bought from farmers for 0.60 lei/kg and is sold abroad for 3.40 lei/kg on average. On the domestic market, the food wheat is sold for 2.90 lei/ kg, while the fodder one for 2.20 lei/ kg.