Moldovan agriculture minister, European Commission president discuss Fund of Solidarity and Development of Agriculture in Chisinau

Chisinau, 10 October /MOLDPRES/ - Deputy Prime Minister, Agriculture and Food Industry Minister Vladimir Bolea today met European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, on an official visit to Chisinau. The officials discussed the Fund of Solidarity and Development of Agriculture, aimed at backing the farmers hit by the natural calamities and climate changes.  
The minister informed the European official about the critical situation faced by the agricultural sector because of the severe drought and heat from the last summer. These phenomena triggered major decreases in the agricultural production and serious economic difficulties for the Moldovan farmers, especially cereals’ producers.   
The deputy PM referred to the letters he had sent to all EU member states, asking for support for this Fund. Bolea stressed that the Moldovan authorities needed a strong partnership with the European Union, in order to cope with the ever more serious climate challenges. Vladimir Bolea emphasized that the EU’s support was necessary not only in order to ensure the continuity of the agricultural production in Moldova, but also contribute to the modernization and resilience of the agricultural sector, through investments in the agricultural infrastructure, technologies and sustainable solutions.    
At the same time, the minister appreciated the openness of the European markets for the Moldovan products with high value, such as the sweet cherries, table grapes, apples or plums, the value of the exports of which to EU exponentially grew in the last years and are appreciated by the European consumers. A special subject was focused on the very good cooperation between the Moldovan and European sanitary authorities, through which Moldova managed to align with the European rigours and to make, on these days, the first exports of fowl and eggs to the European Union.  
Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Bolea thanked the European Union for the support provided so far and underlined the need to continue this cooperation, in order to develop the agricultural sector, which is so important for the country’s economy and stability.
On 24 September 2024, Deputy Prime Minister, Agriculture and Food Industry Minister Vladimir Bolea signed the official letters sent to those 27 agriculture ministers from the European Union, USA, Canada, Japan and Norway, asking for support for the establishment of a Fund of Development and Solidarity for the Moldovan agriculture.  
The initiative of this fund has been earlier discussed at a meeting with European Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski, this being also a reaction to the ever more acute challenges faced by Moldova’s farmers, hit by the severe drought and the climate changes from the last years.  
The Fund of Development and Solidarity has the goal to financially support the farmers, modernize the agricultural infrastructure, promote the technological innovations and enhance the resilience to the extreme weather conditions, which affect the productivity and stability of the agriculture in Moldova.