Simple motion against Moldova's agriculture minister fails

The simple motion against Agriculture and Food Industry Minister Ludmila Catlabuga has failed. After approximately five hours of debates, it did not gather the necessary number of votes, being supported by only 34 deputies.

During the examination of the motion, the agriculture minister delivered a speech before the MPs, in which she presented the present situation in the agricultural sector.

“I do not see this debate as a political exercise, but as an opportunity to bring clarity to farmers and citizens, in a context where too many misinterpretations and information that does not reflect the reality on the ground circulate in the public space. The opposition always comes with the same rhetoric – agriculture is in collapse, the situation in the sector is disastrous, but when we go beyond slogans and look at reality, at figures, at projects, at the dynamics of investments, the picture looks completely different. If anyone believes that a motion against a minister or against the ministry’s policies makes farmers’ lives easier, I will disappoint you. The absence of division, unity of purpose, firmness in decisions – these can make farmers’ lives easier. But if today, in Parliament, the wish for spectacle is greater than the desire to consolidate, I will present data that will confirm that agriculture is not a statistical chapter, but a living system and a living system is not judged in isolation, but in context,” said Ludmila Catlabuga.

The minister stressed that “for decades, farmers have been kept under pressure by opportunistic politicians and for years Moldovan agriculture has been pushed into dependence on a single external market – unstable, unpredictable and lacking clear rules of the game.”

“Through firm negotiations, by restoring our partners’ trust, and through the work and investments of farmers, we have opened up and diversified export markets, and Moldovan products are today more present and more respected abroad. The figures leave no room for interpretation. (…) The ever-growing requests for financing from farmers show that the sector is investing; therefore, there is a wish for development and growth potential. If agriculture were in collapse, we would not see projects being submitted in volumes that far exceed the available allocations. High demand for financing is not a sign of decline. It is the sign of a living, active sector, with real economic potential,” the agriculture minister noted.

According to statistics data presented by Ludmila Catlabuga, in 2024 agriculture contributed 7.1 per cent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and, together with the food industry, approximately 14 per cent to GDP. At the same time, the agri-food sector generated over 45 per cent of total exports, employed about 18 per cent of the active labor force, and used 69 per cent of the country’s arable land. These figures do not describe a marginal sector, but a strategic pillar of the national economy, the minister said.

Official data also shows that, in the period 2020–2024, agri-food exports of Moldova ranged between 1.08 billion and 1.94 billion US dollars, with a maximum level reached in 2022. The European Union market absorbed 65 per cent of the agri-food exports from our country in 2024, compared to 45 per cent in 2021, while exports to the CIS fell to 9 per cent.

At the same time, in 2024, cherry exports to the European Union increased more than 25-fold, while exports of plums and grapes doubled. Likewise, honey exports increased from 1,585 tons in 2023 to 3,604 in 2025, with a value of 10 million US dollars on the EU market alone. Eggs’ exports to the European Union reached 262 million units in 2025, with a value of about 61 million US dollars, and poultry meat exports to EU markets reached 1,123 tons, with a value of 63 million US dollars.

Ludmila Catlabuga underlined that, at present, the Agriculture Ministry is promoting two essential initiatives for balancing the agri-food market: the development of the short supply chain and the prevention of unfair trading practices. Also, starting from 1 January 2026, public authorities will give priority to local products in public procurement. In parallel, the food safety component is being strengthened through more rigorous controls and increased monitoring, carried out by the National Food Safety Agency, as well as through the equipping and modernization of laboratories.

At the same time, the Agriculture Subsidy Fund has grown steadily in recent years, from approximately 600 million lei in 2015 to almost 2 billion lei in 2025, and for 2026 it exceeds 2.3 billion lei, which means an almost fourfold increase in state support.

“In the fields, work is already underway, whether it is cold, raining, or the wind is blowing. On farms and in production, the work process has not even stopped, and when here, in parliament, under the pretext of good intentions, some indulge in populism, it is proof that the work of those in the fields is not really respected. For us, at the ministry and in the government, agriculture will remain a national commitment. And this commitment is reflected in the figures presented today and in the intentions that underpin our daily and long-term efforts. And when you do not know how to help farmers, go to the markets and shops and buy their products as a priority. Moreover, if you have too much energy, go out into the fields alongside them and work,” concluded Ludmila Catlabuga.

After delivering her speech from the parliament’s rostrum, the agriculture minister answered lawmakers’ questions for two and a half hours. Opposition deputies expressed dissatisfaction with the situation in the agricultural sector, invoking more problems.