“Despite investments and modern technologies, in 2024, the fruit production sector in RM recorded a decline of almost 14%, which is due to unfavorable climatic conditions and ill-conceived policies, insufficient consultations (of the authorities of RM, LP note) with representatives of the sector,” Vitalii Gorinchoi, chairman of Moldova Fruct, said from the rostrum of the congress.
In 2024, the country’s production of fruits, nuts and berries is about 592,000 tons, down 22.4% from the previous year.
“It is paradoxical how Moldova, which in the past irrigated 300 thousand hectares of agricultural land, today dries up between the Dniester and the Prut,” said Vitalie Obrejanu, director of the entrepreneurial cooperative Fresh Time SRL. – These rivers could still become the most important sources of water for irrigation. The Irrigation System Development Strategy-2030 was adopted by the Parliament back in 2021, but it was not implemented. Instead, it was incorporated into another Agriculture and Rural Development Strategy without being properly resourced for implementation. Five years later, it cannot be said that there has been no progress at all, but overall the situation has worsened”.
In the resolution of the Congress of the Moldova Fruct Association, addressed to the authorities of the Republic of Moldova, the first point is “updating the legislative framework (Law on Water 272/2011) to ensure access of farmers to all water sources, including underground water”.
It should be clarified that if access to surface water sources, especially to the Dniester and Prut rivers, is mostly limited by the ability of centralized irrigation systems (main pipelines and pumping stations) to deliver water to farmland, as well as the ability of farmers to pay for this expensive service, the story with underground water sources is much more complicated.
In particular, some experts believe that groundwater in the Republic of Moldova is not suitable for irrigation due to its high mineralization. And without highly qualified reclamation specialists, mere mortal farmers will not be able to understand this problem. Some politicians believe that underground water is the most valuable resource for future generations of Moldovans and it is not worth to touch it now. Many state functionaries simply do not want to deal with this complex and sensitive issue.
But time (and the farmer) does not bear. Probably, that is why, not wishing to be a Buridan’s donkey, fruit growers of Moldova Fruct Association demand the right to water withdrawal from all sources, without exception.
