These data were presented by the President of the Association of Producers and Exporters of Grains and Agricultural Products Agrocereale, Iurie Rija. He estimated the income generated by this crop at about 350 million euros.
According to the expert, the growth of our country’s position on the European rapeseed market is determined, first of all, by the high quality of products. The high oil content meets the strict requirements of the EU, where this crop is used both in the food industry and for biofuel production.
Logistical advantages also play an important role. Proximity to the port of Giurgiulesti, access to the Danube and the presence of European investors in the region significantly reduce transportation costs. Delivery is also carried out by sea, in “big bags”, and companies from Romania and Bulgaria work directly in our country through purchasing agents.
The expert emphasizes that rapeseed is a profitable crop and is less exposed to climatic risks. Planting in the fall allows it to receive more precipitation and lower temperatures during the development period. Thus, farmers have chosen rapeseed as a solution to stabilize income in the face of frequent droughts in summer.
“Despite the fact that last year’s harvest was smaller – about 80 thousand tons – the price exceeded 10 lei per kilogram. Taking into account the yield of more than two tons per hectare and the current price, we can say that only through rapeseed exports, Moldova received about 350 million euros,” Rija calculated.
About 95% of Moldovan rapeseed goes to the European Union market, especially to Bulgaria and Romania. Smaller volumes are exported to Germany, Poland, Czech Republic and the Netherlands, as well as outside the EU, including Ukraine and Asia Minor. Thus, our country competes with traditional exporters such as Romania, Ukraine and Russia, having managed this season to surpass these countries in terms of yield per hectare.
