Moldovan government to approve action plan to restore seed production sector in country

Chisinau, 20 August /MOLDPRES/- Prime Minister Ion Chicu returned today during a working visit to Selection Crops Research Institute in Bălți. The meeting was attended by Minister of Agriculture, Regional Development and Environment Ion Perju, representatives of other institutes in the field and local producers. Discussions focused on identifying issues that hinder the development of the seed industry and concrete solutions, the government's communication and protocol department has reported.

Chicu said that this is a sector with enormous potential for our country, both economically and represents a solution to drought facing agriculture.

The premier noted that the government will approve several initiatives to promote local seeds on the domestic market. This will also involve a new state approach to subsidizing agriculture, which will also include the production of seed material. "Starting next year, subsidies in agriculture will be offered only to those who respect the crop rotation, and this will be the main condition.”

Within two weeks, the government will approve an action plan, the main element of which is the financial encouragement of compliance with the crop rotation, the stimulation of the procurement of quality local seeds and the improvement of the legal framework. Chicu asked MADRM to include in the project the initiatives proposed by the representatives in the field.

At the moment, the local seed market for the vegetable sector is insured to 97% of imports, maize areas - 60%, sunflower - 70%, sugar beet and rapeseed are sown 100% with imported seed material. Horticulture produces about 12 million pieces of local planting material and about 2 million - imported.

He asked APP specialists to consider jointly with lawyers the solutions for return of research lands in the management of experimental technological stations, undergoing insolvency. A meeting to this end will be held next week.

The APP director said that the technological-experimental resorts in Bălți, Codru, Maximovca and Pașcani are in insolvency proceedings and have been subjected to the illegal expropriation of surface land. Chicu called for convening a meeting with APP specialists, Ministry of Justice to consider the current situation.