Moldovan Agriculture Ministry works out action plan to protect local meat producers

11:50 | 20.01.2016 Category: Economic

Chisinau, 20 January /MOLDPRES/-The Agriculture and Food Industry Ministry (MAIA) carried out an action plan to protect the internal meat market. Thus, the National Agency for Food Safety is going to boost up inspections of imported animal products at Moldova’s state borders.

During a meeting with Moldovan meat producers, authorities in charge decided to meet them at the Agriculture and Food Industry Ministry once in two weeks, in order to monitor the situation in the field and protect the local market from imports of animal products.

The meeting was held in the context of the producers’ complaints about massive imports, which could hurt and even make them close their businesses. “We signed the free trade agreement with the members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). We are also members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and we signed the association agreement with the EU. So basically, we have opened our market for everyone, but failed to take measures to protect the internal market and ensure our access to the foreign ones,” the executive director of the “Lapte” National Association of Milk and Dairy Products, Carolina Linte has recently said.

The Agriculture and Food Industry Ministry worked out a draft law on raising the consumers’ awareness on food products. The document provides for general principles, requirements and responsibilities that regulate information on food products, focusing on food labeling in particular.

The draft was presented and debated by representatives of associations of meat and milk producers. The Agriculture and Food Industry Ministry’s press service states that the draft was carried out to protect Moldovan producers and the local market against a potential danger caused by massive imports of animal products.

The draf law is to be submitted for further approval and shall be published on the ministry’s web site for public consultations.

A number of 35 Ukrainian companies producing meat and milk products have been entitled to deliver their products to Moldova since the beginning of 2016. However, only three companies received such authorizations in 2015.

(Reporter V. Bercu, Editor L. Alcaza)

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