Agriculture in Moldova
The declining share of agriculture in GDP does not extend to national value-added, where the agricultural sector in Moldova has the largest share relative to
Present agricultural sector
73% of utilised agricultural area is
The Association Agreement between Moldova and the European Union, signed in 2014, includes the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA), which lays the groundwork for Moldova's entry to the EU market for its goods and services.[7]
Natural potential
For natural potential, Moldova's
Soil composition exists as another factor of agricultural production, with Moldovan soil types featuring natural fertility, through being dominated by chernozems.[15] 80% of Moldovan land surface feature chernozems within the soil.[16] Agricultural land varies per hectare, where 27% of this land is considered good quality, and every second hectare is of average quality.[15] The soil composition varies across total agricultural land, depending on the agro-ecological zone of Moldova.[6]
Soil degradation and impact on agricultural practice
Human resources
Agriculture as a source of employment fall from 50% to 28% for the population in 2015, alongside the decline in agricultural output as a share of total output in Moldova.[4] In 2000, half of total employment was provided by agriculture.[6] In terms of human resources for the agricultural sector, the rural population acts as a primary source for employment. For the poorest 40% of Moldova's population, 75% of this population live in rural areas.[17] Agriculture here fills a socio-economic role, as an employer as last resort, and as a method of development for rural areas.[4]
Technological efficiency
Agricultural output is affected by modern technologies, including machinery,
Primary agricultural production
Agriculture in Moldova involves horticulture, viticulture and cereal production as primary methods of farming.[18] Primary agricultural production in Moldova consists of the crop and livestock sectors, accounting for 66.3% and 33.7% respectively of 2014 agricultural production.[15] Seven products are the main drivers of 90% of agricultural production, consisting of cereals, grapes, pigs, poultry, milk and fruits and vegetables.[6]
The Moldovan horticulture industry, which is almost entirely made up of small and medium-sized enterprises, is supported by the Fruit Garden of Moldova scheme. The initiative is part of the European Union's assistance to Moldova, and it seeks to promote trade and economic growth, as well as agriculture and rural production.[7]
Shipments of preserved vegetables to the European Union rose by 455% between 2014 and 2016, while exports of Moldovan preserved fruits and nuts more than doubled, and chestnut sales nearly tripled. Between 2015 and 2019, the proportion of Moldovan exports to Europe increased from about 50% to 68%.[7][19]
Europlant, a family-owned company and onion and potato grower, was founded by Radu Grosu. He received funds from the Garden of Moldova scheme, as well as received €720,000 from the European Union via ProCredit Bank for the building of a warehouse near Moldova's capital, Chisinau.[7]
Production
Moldova produced in 2018: 1.1 million tons of wheat;
- 788 thousand tons of sunflower seed;
- 730 thousand tons of grape;
- 707 thousand tons of sugar beet (the beet is used to manufacture sugar and ethanol);
- 665 thousand tons of apple;
- 175 thousand tons of barley;
- 174 thousand tons of potato;
- 132 thousand tons of plum;
In addition to smaller productions of other agricultural products, like rapeseed (85 thousand tons). Moldova has a production of grape and apple between the 20th and 25th largest in the world, and a production of plum and sunflower seed between the 10th and 15th largest of the world.[20]
Crop sector
Crop production favoured 60-70% of total agricultural production over the period 2001–2012.[6] There is a focus in this sector towards bulk raw materials for export, to both the Commonwealth of Independent States and EU.[6] Low value-added crops dominate the sector, with 80% of the cultivated land area occupying cereal, oilseeds, sugar beet and fodder crops.[15] Cereals in particular account for a high share of arable land, of 70% of total sown areas.[6] Moldova's primary crops as a result of the importance of the cereal sector include wheat, barley, corn and rapeseed.[6] Specifically, wheat, corn and barley occupy more than half of sown land area in Moldova.[15] 894,000 hectares of Moldova's land area were cultivated for cereals and legumes in 2011, grain maize in 455,500 of these hectares, and wheat in 301,800 hectares.[6] In 2011, crop harvest produced 2,498,200 tons of cereals and leguminous crops for the period.[6] The focus on cereal production has arisen from low capital requirements, reliable market demand and ease of large-scale mechanisation for production.[6]
Agricultural enterprises are more specialised in grain crop production, as well as
Sandunelu, a carrot, onion, and beetroot grower, produces about 60% of the onions and carrots sold in Moldovan supermarkets.
Viticulture
Moldova is listed as a top ten country for the manufacture and exportation of wine.[6] The sector is export-oriented, accounting for 11% of total Moldovan exports in 2011.[6] This percentage has fallen from 35% in 2005.[6] The usage of arable land extends to viticulture, as a component of Moldova's export basket, with wine constituting 11% of Moldova's exports in 2011.[6] As a share of industrial output, wine accounted for 7% of this figure between 2008 and 2010.[6] Between 2011 and 2013, wine as an export grew to almost 16% of Moldova's export value.[1] 139.9 thousand hectares are estimated to be cultivated and utilised through vineyards.[6] As of 2014, licenses for production in viticulture were held by 191 wineries in Moldova.[6] Two of Moldova's nine organic processing units are involved in the growth of organic grapes for the production of organic wine.[1]
Livestock sector
In 2011, 61.2% of all agricultural holdings were involved in raising livestock.[9] Beside the decline of total agricultural production, livestock counts have also descended, where in the period 2001–2010, 16% of pigs and 40% of cattle in holding fell.[2] The livestock sector in Moldova carries a smaller role in agricultural production in comparison to the crop sector.[15] Lower output levels in the sector position Moldova as a net importer of the bulk of livestock products.[6] This role in output holds stability and is characterised by lower levels of competitiveness.[6] For the livestock sector, domestic resource constraints act as a barrier to production capacity.[6] Another effect limiting the livestock sector is climate change, with production influenced by higher temperatures and more frequent fluctuations in precipitation.[6]
Organic agriculture
2.87% of Moldova's arable land area was used for organic agricultural production.[1] An estimate of 94% of this land area is operated by land holdings sized 50 hectares or more.[9] Organic agriculture as a component of Moldova's agricultural sector contributed to an estimated 3.18% of agricultural export value in 2013.[1] These registered exports amounted to $31.5EURO million, at an export level of more than 80,000 tonnes.[1] 59 organic producers were registered in Moldova as of 2013.[1] Organic agriculture has increased in growth from EU market demand, policies in support of the sector and a higher price premium for producers.[1]
History of agriculture in Moldova
As of 1995, agricultural production delivered an estimated 40% of total production in Moldova, employing an estimated 1/3 of the total labour force.
In July 2022 the European Union agreed Autonomous Trade Measures, being the suspension of import duties and raising of quotas on Moldovan exports to the EU, designed to help Moldovan agriculture following the Russian invasion of Ukraine which created a difficult situation for Moldovan producers. Renewed in 2023 for another year.[23]
Climate change effect on agriculture in Moldova
For the agricultural sector, the inextricable relationship between agriculture and climatic conditions, including temperature and precipitation, results in climate volatility as a risk.
Records of Moldova's average temperature provide evidence of an increase in 1 °C for annual average temperatures between 1887 and 2010.[13] Cumulative climate data supports the trend of increasing temperature and has been observed by farmers in greater extremity of heat events.[2]
Weather events have increased in severity, longevity and frequency, in particular for droughts and
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Gerciu, Viorel; Rundgren, Gunnar (2017). "The Status and Potential of Organic Agriculture in the Republic of Moldova" (PDF). UN Environment Programme.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Boehlert, Brent B.; Iglesias, Ana; Neumann, James E.; Srivastava, Jitendra P.; Sutton, William R. (2013-01-01). "Reducing the vulnerability of Moldova's agricultural systems to climate change : impact assessment and adaptation options": 1–151.
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(help) - ^ a b c Moroz, Victor; Ignat, Anatolie (2015). "External Factors' Impact over the Agricultural Sector of the Republic of Moldova". Scientific Papers Series Management, Economic Engineering in Agriculture and Rural Development. 15 (2): 217–226.
- ^ .
- ^ a b The World Bank (2015). "Republic of Moldova Trade Study" (PDF). The World Bank.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak Government of the Republic of Moldova (2014). "National Strategy on Agriculture and Rural Development for the Period 2014-2020" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2022-11-21. Retrieved 2020-05-25.
- ^ a b c d e f g "EU-Moldova agriculture programme helps face down COVID-19 economic effect". European Investment Bank. Retrieved 2021-04-20.
- ^ eastfruit (2021-01-14). "Horticulture of Moldova 2020: droughts, frosts, and low prices • EastFruit". EastFruit. Retrieved 2021-04-20.
- ^ a b c d National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova (2011). "2011 General Agricultural Consensus in the Republic of Moldova" (PDF).
- ^ Golban, Arthur (2015). "Can Horticulture Become a Success Story in Increasing the Competitiveness of the Agricultural Enterprises from the Republic of Moldova?" (PDF). Lucrări Ştiinţifice. 58 (1): 209–214.
- ^ a b c d e Certan, Simion; Certan, Ion (2012). "Agriculture in the Republic in Moldova: Present and Future" (PDF). Scientific Papers Series "Management, Economic Engineering in Agriculture and Rural Development". 12 (4): 65–73.
- ^ ISSN 1097-0088.
- ^ ISBN 978-9975-53-362-1.
- ^ Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (2016). "Financing Climate Action in Moldova" (PDF).
- ^ a b c d e f g h Leah, Tamara (2015). "Agriculture and Soils of the Republic of Moldova: Assessment, Findings, Solutions" (PDF). Agrarian Economy and Rural Development - Realities and Perspectives for Romania. (6th Edition of the International Symposium ed.): 330–336.
- ^ Gribincea, Corina; Gribincea, Alexandru; Coretchi, Boris (2012). "The Influencing Factors on Volume Changes of Agriculture Production in Moldova". Economics, Management and Financial Markets. 7 (4): 497–504.
- ^ a b World Bank (2014). "Republic of Moldova: Forest Policy Note" (PDF).
- ^ "Moldova". www.fao.org. Retrieved 2020-05-28.
- ^ "Moldova - Trade - European Commission". ec.europa.eu. Retrieved 2021-04-20.
- ^ Moldova production in 2018, by FAO
- ^ "EU4Business: SanduNelu, a success story in times of crisis". issuu. Retrieved 2021-04-20.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i World Bank (1995). "Moldova - Agriculture Sector Review". 1.
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(help) - ^ "Commission proposes to extend suspension of tariffs and quotas on imports from Moldova". 2 May 2023.