“At Easter, the meal brings loved ones together and brings a sense of gratitude, peace and goodwill. Everything we put on the table reflects the labor of people who cultivate the land, raise animals, tend gardens and vineyards, grind, bake, process and bring to our tables products produced in the Republic of Moldova. By choosing Moldovan products, we support the labor of local people and promote local businesses that invest, produce and create added value at home,” MAIA said.
On the official website of the ministry, this appeal is accompanied by a selection of advertising posters depicting traditional Moldovan food products.
Perhaps in case some part of the Moldovan population has suddenly forgotten what they look like. And this, unfortunately, is no longer a sarcastic exaggeration. It so happens that a stereotype has taken root in the mass consciousness of quite a number of Moldovans, especially in its capital: Moldovan food products are an endangered species.
Why is this happening?
Probably, because for the last decade and a half the number of urban residents who regularly buy food mainly in supermarket chains and “stores at home” has exceeded the number of those who constantly go to food markets “under the open (or semi-open) sky” – for freshness, quality, cheapness of products and national coloring. And in supermarkets – whether we like it or not – many food departments are dominated by imports. Again, why did this happen?
Retailers say – because it is easier to work with foreign producers and traders-suppliers – they are predictable, stable and, often, cheaper. And this may be the most important thing in the current economic situation.
For example, offer an ordinary person to choose one of two products lying side by side on a store shelf: a standard (now it is 180, not 200 grams) pack of butter from a well-known Moldovan producer for 35-45 lei on average, or no less well-known Ukrainian producer for 30-40 lei. It is reasonable to assume that the average consumer will choose the cheaper one.
Does quality (not) matter?
Out of habit, or in the “pursuit of a dream” – yes, it does. And it is also probably a very good thing that a certain category of our fellow citizens – we can assume, mostly of the 40+ age category, still believes that: “Moldovan is a priori quality”.
However, offer a young man of 20-30 years old, say – an IT worker, who due to high income and positive life experience does not look too closely and compare price tags yet – to choose between Moldovan and Italian “Parmesan” cheese. Apparently, in nine cases out of ten the choice will be obvious.
And do not “grab the tongue” – in the sense that Parmesan is not a traditional local product, and in the case of sheep cheese the situation would be fundamentally different. It is also not necessary to insist that Moldovan cheese is much cheaper than Italian cheese – this is no longer true. The reason lies in the answer to the most important and perhaps provocative question: “is the Moldovan product always of guaranteed high quality”? Alas, the question is not rhetorical, and the answer is not always in our favor.
What is the basis of food patriotism?
At least – on what this text started with: the industry ministry urges to buy “good things at home”. And the ANSA agency recently preempted the ministerial message with a report on the food safety situation on the Moldovan market last year: the market is generally safe, but problems are much more often detected with imported than with local goods.
There are also more utilitarian (and, obviously, without any sarcasm – sincere) “signals of predisposition” towards domestic food producers. For example, the deputy Victoria Belous on her Facebook page recently urged Moldovan farmers to participate in the tender for the purchase of fruits and vegetables for May-June for educational institutions in Chisinau. However, it is not certain that, even taking into account the very good “demand prices”, the modest volumes of the proposed purchases will attract a large number of serious producers: apples – 88 tons, potatoes – 76, onions – 27, cabbage – 25 tons.
In the context of patriotism and on the eve of a good holiday, another sensitive question arises. Will there be holiday discounts? In the case of pragmatic (i.e., not emphasized patriotic) chain retail, the answer is probably yes? And in the case of holiday fairs and simple farmers? This is probably not a question, but a test – a choice between the desire to do a good deed and the opportunity to take advantage of an opportunity to make money.
