PM asks authorities to identify new sales markets for Moldovan goods

Chisinau, 26 July /MOLDPRES/ - Prime Minister Pavel Filip, at a today working meeting, asked the authorities in the export sector to identify solutions to diversify the export destinations for Moldova’s goods, the government’s communication and protocol department has reported.   

The participants in the meeting analyzed the present situation as to turning to good account of export markets for the native agro-food products, based on those four free trade agreements of Moldova, Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA), Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) and the Free Trade Agreement with Turkey. Most Moldovan goods presently reach the European Union’s market (67.9 per cent of all exports made in January-may 2018, according to data by the National Statistics Bureau), with high increases including on markets of Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Ukraine and Serbia, according to the cited data. The penetration of new sales markets is noticed in the case of fresh fruits and vegetables, which are annually delivered to about 80 countries. This year, for instance, decision-makers plan export of apples and plums to new markets: Israel, India and Canada. Also, tinned fruits and vegetables in 2018 reached new destinations: Japan, Mongolia, Qatar, Afghanistan and Bulgaria and wines – on the market of Austria, Denmark, Sweden, Mexico, Vietnam and Albania.      

The participants in the meeting discussed an eventual increase in the shares for products, for which there is export capacity and which are demanded on the European market, especially cereals and fruits. PM Pavel Filip said farmers were concerned about the diversification of the sales markets and this resulted from frequent meetings held with farmers. He also said that, besides traditional markets, EU and CIS, Moldova must turn to good account other attractive markets, such as India, China, Japan, USA, Canada, Egypt, as well as the countries from the Persian Gulf: “There is also great potential of attracting investments to this region. Besides investments, economic agents from these states provide also the export of products to origin countries.”   

The participants in the meeting also discussed the need to turn to account the available quota for the export of animal origin goods. The PM asked the National Food Safety Agency for an action plan for accrediting a laboratory which will allow certifying these animal products at international standards.

„Emphasis must be put on the exports of goods with high value added. We should have a quite clear vision on agriculture, put emphasis on high-value agriculture and industries with high value added. We should analyze the obstacles to the sales markets we want to access, we should be more insistent, choose free niches and make transition to other interesting markets,” PM Pavel Filip added.