In only several years, owing to the rising temperatures, the productivity of crops in Moldova will diminish. According to the forecasts of experts of the Ministry of the Environment, the productivity of winter wheat will decrease by 14.3% – 17.8%, of sugar beet by 6.1% – 6.5%, while of sunflower by 0.6% – 1.6%, IPN reports.

According to the authors of the strategy for adjusting Moldova to the climate change, many of the crops will become more vulnerable to the hotter and drier summers. The harvests of vegetables that need frequent irrigation will be lower than the grain harvests. An increased frequency of extreme weather phenomena can lead to the appearance of new diseases and pests.

The drought will lead to the degradation of soil, which is a major threat to the durability of the financial recourses and can affect the capacity of Moldova’s agriculture to successfully adapt itself to the climate change.

At the same time, the longer vegetation season will potentially increase the productivity of crops for fodder. This way, the costs for keeping animals may decrease.

The total agricultural output in 2011 was 21.7 billion lei in current prices, which is only 59% of the production level of 1990. The agricultural sector’s contribution to the Gross Domestic Product fell from 31.2% in 1990 to 12.2% in 2011.