Ten to twelve years ago, under the influence of Moldovan alcohol producers and some grain-exporting traders, local farmers became interested in growing this crop on an industrial scale. At the beginning of this decade, the area under grain sorghum cultivation in Moldova reached 10-12 thousand hectares. However, since then, the area under grain sorghum in the country has started to decrease.
There are several reasons for this. The first, but not the main one, is insufficient experience of Moldovan agricultural producers in sorghum cultivation. According to Igor Saletsky, head of the representative office of Lidea, the largest supplier of sorghum seeds to the agricultural resources market in Moldova, the technology of grain sorghum cultivation is not complicated in principle. However, it is demanding in such aspects as the quality of sowing and sanitary treatments, especially in the initial stage of vegetation. Local farmers need to accumulate and improve agro-technological knowledge in this area. Nevertheless, statistics of recent dry seasons show that sorghum yields in Moldova, especially in the south of the country, are many times higher than maize yields (on non-irrigated lands).
The main problem of stagnation and even reduction of sorghum production in RM is the decreasing market popularity of this product. Especially in the situation when the European market has a large supply of relatively cheap corn from Ukraine.
In addition, the Black Sea region is dominated by the demand – particularly from Turkish buyers – for sorghum of bright red varieties. Whereas in Moldova, creamy beige sorghum varieties form the basis of production.
