Deficit of meat products in Moldova fraught with a food crisis

According to the National Agency for Food Safety (ANSA) of Moldova, a sharp reduction in meat production has been fixed in the country, as well as a reduction in quotas for its imports from the EU and the inability to supply it from other countries. As a result, unjustified price increases for this type of products are registered, especially on the eve of the holidays.

"While in the European Union markets prices are falling with a growing volume of sales, we face the opposite: the prices are growing closer to the holidays. On holidays, the entire population should have the opportunity to buy meat and meat products, including socially vulnerable people with small incomes. In this regard, the phenomenon of rising prices on the eve of holidays is unacceptable," Gheorghe Gaber, the CEO of ANSA said.

According to him, there is no economic justification to the hike in prices. Gaber urged producers to adhere to existing realities.

In October, the American Chamber of Commerce in Chisinau (AmCham), in its petition to the Moldovan authorities, warned about the emerging trends of a food crisis. The petition also noted that shortage of meat would lead to higher prices. The AmCham called for a reduction in customs duties on imports of pork and chicken meat from European producers that were established to protect local production. The American partners also called for an increase in the annual quota for meat imports, by allocating a special quota for meat processing companies.

The ANSA management evaluated the petition to increase the quota for pork imports from the EU as unreasonable, believing that prices can be reduced in other ways. In the near future, ANSA will convene for a joint meeting of producers, processors and meat traders to discuss the accumulated problems and work out joint measures to develop this branch of the national economy.

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