Romania consolidates position as main market for goods in Moldova

Chisinau, 15 February /MOLDPRES/- Romania strengthened its position as the main merchant market in Moldova after an increase in Moldovan goods deliveries on the Romanian market in 2018 by 31.9%, almost double the previous year, when exports grew by 17.1 per cent, according to data by the National Statistics Bureau (BNS).

It is the second largest increase in exports from the Republic of Moldova to Romania after 2011, when it recorded an increase of 52.8%. But after a decline in 2012 and an anemic growth over the next three years, Romania is the most performing in Moldovan exports.

Official statistics show that exports from the Republic of Moldova to the Romanian market last year amounted to 792.3 million dollars, 3.5 times higher than deliveries on the largest market in east, Russia, and exceeded exports to CIS countries by 377 million dollars.

In 2018, exports of goods amounted to 2.7 billion dollars, up by 11.6 percent. The 90 percent increase in deliveries to the foreign market is driven by the increase in exports to the European Union by 16.6 percent. Three member countries of the European Union, namely Romania, Italy and Germany, have held top three positions in the ranking of partner countries in foreign trade, the share of which in total Moldovan exports is 48.8%.

Data also show that the share of European Union countries in total Moldovan exports has increased, from 65.85 percent in 2017 to 68.79 percent in 2018, while the share of CIS countries has decreased from 19.09 per cent to 15.37 per cent, Russia – down to 8 per cent.

Exports of food products had the biggest influence on the increase of exports, which grew by 22.7% compared to the previous year.