Ministry of Agriculture warns oil companies against diesel price gouging ahead of spring fieldwork: We demand responsibility and fairness towards farmers

The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry (MAIA) has issued a warning to operators on the petroleum products market, calling for responsibility and fairness towards farmers who are in the middle of the spring agricultural campaign. In a context where access to fuel is vital for food security, the authorities denounce any attempt to manipulate the market.

The institution has identified risks of potential abusive behavior by fuel distributors. Among the actions considered unacceptable and lacking economic justification are deliberate price increases at peak demand periods; unjustified refusal to sell diesel to farmers; and invoking stock shortages as a pretext to force price hikes or to favor certain clients.


“Such unfair practices directly affect farmers’ work and endanger the schedule of agricultural operations. Agriculture needs predictability, and the market needs rules to be observed and transparency,” MAIA emphasizes.


To prevent bottlenecks in the spring campaign, the authorities urge farmers not to accept abusive commercial conditions and to act immediately by notifying the supervisory institutions.


“If they face refusals to deliver or suspicious prices, farmers are advised to contact the Competition Council – for investigating cartel-type agreements or abuse of a dominant position; the National Agency for Energy Regulation (ANRE) – to verify real stocks and the accuracy of displayed prices; the Government of the Republic of Moldova – for general monitoring of the situation and interventions at the level of public policies,” the Ministry of Agriculture points out.


The authorities’ message is one of cooperation, but also firmness. It stresses that oil operators must act as social partners during this critical period, and any breach will be promptly investigated, with measures proportionate to the damage caused to the agricultural sector.


“We appeal for cooperation. It is essential that diesel reaches the fields on time, at fair prices, in order to ensure the continuity of the food production cycle,” MAIA sums up.


In the Republic of Moldova, a state of alert has been declared at the national level in the energy sector, for a period of 60 days starting March 4, in the context of the situation in the Middle East.