Three years into the DCFTA with the EU, in 2017 Moldova was able to surpass the plum export quota for the first time, and was able for the first time to export fresh cherries to the European Union. The Ministry of Agriculture, Regional Development and Environment marks this as one of the major achievements of 2017.
In an answer to IPN, the Ministry mentions that fruit exports have amounted to 200 thousand tons. The number of economic agents who export to the EU is on the rise. Food-grade grapes have been exported by 38 sellers, fresh apples – 9, fresh plums – 53.
The Fruit Producers and Exporters Association confirms the growth in fresh fruit exports to the EU, especially to Romania and Poland. “For the first time in the history of Moldova, significant quantities of Moldovan fresh fruit have been exported to the EU. In plums, the 10 thousand ton non-taxable quota has been greatly surpassed; over four thousand tons of apples have been exported, over nine thousand tons of grapes,” the Association told IPN.
“The fact that exports to the EU have surpassed the forecasts, denote the fact that ever more local producers raise their quality to European standards, and prove that the EU market is open for Moldova, a great hope for the future,” the National Federation of Agricultural Producers AGROinform noted for IPN.
Another change pointed out by authorities, as well as NGOs in the field, is that in spite of the calamities in spring and a dry summer, some crops have attained record-breaking yields. “A land worker’s highest reward is the yield of the land,” AGROinform mentions.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Regional Development and Environment, the 2017 yield on vegetable agricultural products was of higher quality compared to 2016. “Wheat production has grown by almost 20%. Autumn barley has grown by 12%. Corn – 34%, soy – 27%, sunflower – 11%. The total yield in fruit has grown by 3.2%, seeds – by 3.4%, stone fruits – 3%. Fruit-bearing shrubs and strawberries have reached a yield 15% higher than last year, and the volume of vegetable and potato production has grown by 22%.”
Investments in agriculture are growing, and have reached 1.5 billion lei in 2017. The number of subvention applicants has grown by 34%.