August 8 2002, 11:04 INFOTAG

Moldova reduced its agricultural exports by US$2.4mn

Over the first half-year 2002 Moldova exported products of agriculture to the amount of US$183 million, down $2.4 million against the same period of 2001. Imports rose 22 percent amounting to US$81 million. These figures were released by Moldavian Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry on Wednesday, July 7.

According to First Deputy Minister Valeriu Mironesku, meat export dropped 26 percent, dairy products - 57 percent, sugar - 13 percent, preserved fruit & vegetables - 17 percent, tobacco and tobacco goods - 43 percent, vegetable oil - 10 percent.

At the same time, total agricultural production went up by 5 percent. Numbers of cattle, sheep and goats are reported up 3 percent, pigs - up 5 percent. A critical situation arose in feed production because feed crops had been planted on 60,000 hectares, less than 4 percent of total area under crops.

Mironesku informed that state sector agricultural production over the first half-year 2002 totaled US$23.5 million, up 7 percent from the same period of 2001. Wine industry production accounted for more than a quarter of this amount, dairy products - for 14.5 percent, tobacco products - 12 percent, bakery products - 9 percent.