Parliament has extended the licensing of cereal and oilseed imports until the end of the year

The Parliament of the Republic of Moldova has voted in two readings to extend the licensing of imports of wheat, maize and sunflower seeds until 31 December 2026. The law will come into force on 1 November.

Serghei Ivanov

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The Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture and the Food Industry, Sergei Ivanov, explained that the need to extend the measure is driven by rising production costs: diesel prices have risen by around 70 per cent, and fertiliser prices by 35–40 per cent. According to the MP, massive imports, particularly from Ukraine, could lead to a fall in prices on the domestic market and a reduction in the incomes of local farmers.

“Despite a relatively good year for agriculture in terms of the harvest, a mechanism is needed to protect the domestic market against dumping prices on products from other countries. This is a standard measure, applied by our European neighbours. In European countries, this is applied on an ongoing basis and it is necessary for it to become permanent in the Republic of Moldova as well,” said the MP.

The decision was taken against the backdrop of pre-emptive protests by agricultural producers. According to preliminary estimates by the Farmers’ Force Association, over 300 farmers and at least 100 heavy-duty agricultural vehicles are taking part in the protests.

It should be noted that the current licensing mechanism for imports of cereals and oilseeds expires on Saturday, 31 October.

This story was translated with the assistance of artificial intelligence.The translation was also reviewed by the Logos Press editorial team.

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