The yield of sunflower seeds this year will exceed half a million tonnes, which is more than last year, Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Vasile Bumacov said in an event held to launch the harvest, IPN reports.

The minister said the sunflower producers do not face problems as other farmers do because the sunflower seeds and oil have always been in demand. The exports of sunflower seeds and oil represent one fourth of Moldova’s agricultural exports.

About 300 hectares are planted with sunflower in Moldova annually. Vasile Bumacov said the maximally allowed area for this crop was reached. If the area is extended, the soil may go dry. Solution is to increase productivity of crops by bringing new sorts of sunflower, instead of increasing the areas. 

The minister informed that so far this year Moldova exported sunflower seeds and oil to the value of US$126 million. Over 99% of the oil is exported to the EU, while one fourth of the seeds go to the CIS, another one fourth to the EU and the rest to other states.

The journalists took part in the launch of the harvest on the fields rented by businessman Alexandru Cartan in Mascauti village of Criuleni district. The businessman said that almost 2 tonnes of sunflower will be gathered from one hectare this year. He rents 700 hectares in Mascauti. 70% of the owners of this land are pensioners.