External market stagnates, agriculture minister recommends to use warehouse certificates to finance fall farm works

The first-group grain harvest, reaching 1.8 million tonnes, fully insures the country's food safety, says the Agriculture and Food Minister, Anatolie Gorodenco. The official says out of the total number of cereals, 1.4 million tonnes are wheat, including 420,000 tonnes of food wheat, as only 350,000 tonnes are needed to insure the country's food security, Info-Prim Neo reports. According to Gorodenco, the 2008 grain harvest rose in the whole Black year twice, so the external market is stagnating. The minister recommends farmers to use their warehouse certificates as financial tools to pay for their fall farm works. The official says the sunflower is being reaped now. The harvest can be 30% higher than the average during the last 5 years, reaching 320,000-360,000 tonnes of seeds. According to the Agriculture Ministry, the fruit harvest will reach 430,000 tonnes, compared to 300,000 tonnes last year, as the sugar output will be 90-95 thousand tonnes, the potatoes and pumpkin vegetables – 900,000 tonnes. They also forecast a harvest of some 300,000 tonnes of grapes, 100 of 125 wineries being ready to process them, says Moldova-Vin agency's manager, Iurie Carp. Moldova-Vin recommends to process the grapes in the country and to export the final products, but will also allow to export wine in barrels if the contracts will be payed 100% in advance.