Dorin Recean: The model of association in cooperatives offered by farmers in the north of the country should be applied at national level
Farmers face logistical problems due to the Russian war against Ukraine. However, they are adapting to geopolitical realities and have turned to the European Union market. Prime Minister Dorin Recean spoke to fruit growers from Grimăncăuți in Briceni district. According to him, the model of association in cooperatives offered by farmers in the north of the country should be extended to the national level.
The Russian aggression has disrupted logistical chains, the market for Moldovan fruit has moved from Russia to Europe. But there are problems with the maintenance of agricultural machinery, much of which is made in the former Soviet Union.
"We are interested in the market, which until a year ago was largely Moscow. At the moment, we have to look for Europe too, although at least we found Chisinau," says farmer Oleg Varvariuc.
"First of all, the traditional market, which has been practically shrunk by half and more than half, and we are starting to look for other markets, starting from Romania, because the prices are clearly lower in Romania. We are anyway affected by the geopolitics that exist at the moment, I mean the war that shouldn't be," says farmer Ion Arman.
In Grimăncăuți, fruit growers are associated in agricultural cooperatives to increase their export capacity.
"We export to Europe, Romania, Arab countries, Dubai, the Russian Federation. There are many problems. First of all, the price of inputs, fertilisers, plant protection products and diesel has risen," says cooperative leader Andrei Caduc.
"I was happy to see the fruit growers associated with cooperatives, but we discussed that it would be good to have such a cooperative at the national level, because this would help the business to promote itself abroad. The Republic of Moldova is now reorienting, how should I say, its trade flows, especially in the European Union, but also in the East", said Prime Minister Dorin Recean.
Farmers exported fruit to 30 countries last year. Fruit accounts for 8.2 percent of total exports.
