Sergiu Harea, Eugeniu Osmochescu
The event was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development and Digitalization Eugeniu Osmochescu, MPs, representatives of agricultural producers and sugar processors, importers, as well as agro-industrial companies that use sugar as a raw material in the production process.
Linking role of the CCI
CCI President Sergiu Harea emphasized the importance of each participant in the chain of sugar production, processing, distribution and use. According to him, the search for sustainable solutions must take into account both the need to protect local producers and to ensure that processing companies have access to raw materials at competitive prices.
“It is important for the Chamber of Commerce and Industry that all voices in the industry are heard. The sugar market cannot be analyzed only through the prism of one segment. We have sugar beet producers, importers, processors and agri-food companies that are directly dependent on this raw material. Solutions should be balanced, transparent and oriented towards maintaining the competitiveness of local producers,” said Sergiu Harea.
During the meeting, the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization presented the current situation on the sugar market, statistics on imports, as well as the protection measures applied or analyzed for this sector.
An important topic of discussion was the quota of 3,000 tons for companies that use sugar in the production process. This measure, promoted by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Moldova and approved by the Government, was almost fully utilized.
The representatives of the companies appreciated the fact that, for the first time, they had the possibility to directly import sugar needed for production activities. An important topic was the need to increase this quota. Representatives of the business environment emphasized that the lack of predictable access to raw materials can affect the cost of production, final prices and the stability of agri-food enterprises.
Experience of other countries
Participants also referred to the practices of other countries in terms of protecting the domestic market while maintaining functional conditions for companies using sugar as a raw material. In this context, the possibility of including sugar in the list of products that could be exempted from import duties when used for industrial purposes was also discussed.
At the same time, the discussions highlighted the need to revitalize the sugar beet cultivation sector in Moldova. Participants emphasized the importance of a coherent policy that would stimulate local agricultural production, support farmers and ensure a balanced relationship between producers, processors and consumers.
