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Chisinau to host summit of agriculture ministers from Eastern Partnership countries

Chisinau for the first time ever will host a summit of the agriculture ministers from the Eastern Partnership countries and the EU on 23 January 2014. Agriculture and Food Minister Vasile Bumacov made a statement to this end today.

Bumacov said that, for 2014, the Agriculture and Food Ministry would undertake more actions meant to overcome difficulties in agriculture. Thus, the ministry will subsidise the setting of a plant for processing and freezing potatoes and another one for processing soy. “The high quality soy is exported from Moldova at a price of 6 lei per kg, whereas the poultry plants import soy grits for 11-12 lei/kg. It is necessary to find an investor who will be able to process soy in Moldova and thus avoid distortions of prices”, Bumacov said.

At the same time, the construction of elevators, creation of small enterprises for making wine, apple juice and cooling lines, sorting and packing will be subsidised.

Bumacov also voiced hope that a string of legislative documents in the agriculture sector would be adopted this autumn. These laws refer to producers groups, liberalisation of oil imports, excluding VAT on the import of agricultural equipment, return to an 8-per cent VAT in agriculture, adoption of a consolidated tax and allowing the use of groundwater in irrigation.

Adapted from Moldpres