Turkey interested in boosting bilateral relations in agriculture

Chisinau, 4 November /MOLDPRES/- Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Viorel Gherciu had a meeting yesterday with a delegation of the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, accompanied by members of the Turkish Representation of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The parties have examined several possibilities for cooperation in the field.

The delegation from Ankara, led by Deputy Minister Fatih Metin, had the basic aim of conducting a study within the Project for the Conservation and Sustainable Management of Steppe Ecosystems in Turkey. The meeting with Turkish officials was an opportunity to discuss bilateral cooperation in the field of agriculture, trade in agri-food products, as well as new initiatives to strengthen cooperation between the two countries.

"Trade in agri-food products of the Republic of Moldova with Turkey is carried out under the Free Trade Agreement between the two states, and the main categories of products exported from our country are oilseeds, dried fruits and cereals. At the same time, the domestic wine sector is on an upward trend, continuing to conquer the world market through promotional actions and the effort of producers to deliver quality products. Following consultations with Moldovan wine producers who export wine to the Turkish market, we inform you that economic agents are interested in presenting local wines to Turkish businessmen, importer networks and hotel chains, "said Viorel Gherciu.

According to the minister, our country advocates attracting Turkish investments in order to create joint ventures for the production of vegetables. "In this sense, we propose that in the future we create joint ventures in the field of infrastructure for the post-harvest and processing stages of plant products. In the same vein, it is welcome to intensify the collaboration on the implementation of rural development projects ", Gherciu said.

During the talks, the parties analyzed the indicators of trade in wine products between states in the first eight months of 2021. Thus, the export of Moldovan products has a total value of about six million dollars, with an increase compared to the same period last year.

Photo: MAIA