Pintilii Bulgaru, who heads the Association of Sheep and Goat Breeders of Moldova, said the situation of the breeders is critical. He stated for IPN that given the shortage of fodder for winter owing to the drought, the breeders started to slaughter a part of the animals.

The very low demand for lambs and kids is an even more serious problem. The young goats and sheep born this spring weigh by 50 kg already and should be sold, but the traditional export markets, the Arab ones, no longer want to purchase lambs and kids because of the armed conflicts in the region. The home market is too small and cannot use the whole supply. Moldova cannot yet export live animals or meat to the EU. Thus, the breeders don’t know what to do now with the animals.

Pintilii Bulgaru stated that the authorities should take measures to identify new markets as the animal breeders have no chance to cope without the assistance of the state.