Japan to further support agro-industrial sector in Moldova

Chisinau, Dec. 8 / MOLDPRES /- Progress of the Project for modernization of agricultural machinery and equipment implemented by the Agency for the Development and Modernization of Agriculture; relaunching the activity of the Pellet Factory from Porumbeni commune, Criuleni district, which was built in 2015 within the Project for the efficient use of solid biomass fuel - these were the main topics discussed yesterday at a meeting between leadership of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry and Yoshihiro Katayama, Japan's ambassador to Moldova, and Satoshi Sugimoto, head of the Office of Japan's International Cooperation Agency.

The parties had an exchange of views on the project implementation process, established the following activities for use of financial resources within the projects and estimated the need for investment to complete the activities.

Minister Viorel Gherciu presented the ministry's objectives for 2022-2027, naming: consolidating the potential of the agricultural sector resilient to climate change; promoting smart, efficient and sustainable agricultural practices; developing the local market and increasing the export potential; supporting sustainable rural socio-economic development.

"We appreciate the results of the collaboration between our states, Japan being a reliable partner that supports the agricultural sector through investments. Farmers benefit from a number of advantages in the Agricultural Machinery and Equipment Modernization Project. Thus, they can purchase tractors and attachments, harvesters, equipment and machinery, refrigeration systems, being exempted from interest for financing, having the possibility to benefit from financing of post-harvest infrastructure, and access to financial resources can be done without pledge," Gherciu said.

With regard to the relaunch of the activity of the Pellet Factory from Porumbeni commune, the officials discussed the additional technical interventions necessary to achieve this objective, in order to improve the living conditions in the rural communities.

Dozens of cooperation documents are currently signed between the Republic of Moldova and Japan, most of them referring to the provision of financial and technical assistance to our country. Japan is also one of the main sources of investment in the Moldovan car industry. Two large Japanese companies, Sumitomo and Fujikura, have opened wiring factories in the country and become residents of free economic zones. In the last few years, Sumitomo has invested 30 million euros in opening a factory with 2.5 thousand jobs, and Fujikura has invested 20 million euros and created about two thousand jobs.

Photo: MAIA