UN Moldova Covid-19 Thematic Brief Agriculture

It constitutes around 18% of GDP and 50% of total exports originate in agriculture and food products. Covid-19 outbreak in Moldova is having a negative impact on agriculture production and processing, farmers’ income and access to inputs. Currently, the main affected sectors are vegetable, cereal and berry production, as well as animal feeding. At the same time, the most impacted group of producers are smallholder farmers who have insufficient financial resources and inputs.

The planting season of cereals started, but it is progressing slowly due to lack of some inputs and low level of precipitations. At least 200 small and medium greenhouse vegetable growers face significant issues marketing and selling their products (cucumbers, radish, tomatoes etc.) as the local markets have been closed due to government lockdown measures and they lack access to supermarket chains. Export of agri-food products to some traditional partner countries (e.g. Russian Federation) was suspended as the authorities from importing countries do not issue the relevant certificates. There is also a significant impact due the Covid-19 pandemic on

poultry sector during March-April as this is the season for chicks production and sales. The loss for a two-week

period is estimated at about 112 million lei.