Chisinau hosts national conference on fruit business

Chisinau, Dec. 10 /MOLDPRES/- Horticultural sector is experiencing an increase in the volume of production as well as exports as a result of the efforts of agricultural producers and the state, through the development and updating of the policy package, including the implementation of subsidies.

Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Viorel Gherciu made the statement at the 7th edition of the National Conference Fruit Business in Moldova.

According to the minister, in recent years, following the investments made in modern technologies, the global volume of horticultural production is constantly growing. "Quantitatively, the export of fresh and processed horticultural production accounts for over 12% of total exports. Furthermore, the ministry aims to update the policies to support the growth and diversification of the horticultural sector, which focuses on a development based on innovation and high competitiveness ", Gherciu said.

He noted that this year the overall fruit production has been much higher compared to the last three years. "For example, about 650 thousand tons of apples and over 123 thousand tons of plums were harvested. The geography of exports has also been diversified. Starting from the strategic importance of the horticultural sector, the National Fund for the Development of Agriculture and Rural Environment provides annual investments of about 561 million lei, and for the implementation of the Horticulture Development Program for 2021-2025 is expected over 11 billion lei ", he said.


"We are concerned about the amendment to the Subsidy Regulation. Depending on the financial possibilities, we will facilitate the areas that provide added value. The increase in the amount of subsidy for hail and rain nets, water storage basins, diversification of the spectrum of fruit crops, and others is being examined. We are convinced that the Law on Internal Trade will also have a positive impact on the sector, according to which local agri-food products must be present on 50 percent of the surface of store shelves ", he said.

The Conference also focused on increasing the competitiveness of products, adjusting the technologies, the necessary investment directions to modernize the fruit sector. Experts in the field made presentations of modern production technologies and innovations in the sector, the assortment of varieties and rootstocks, discussing the quality standards required by the markets.

Photo: MAIA