The issue was discussed during an online meeting between Ukrainian officials and representatives of the Moldovan Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry and the National Agency for Food Safety (ANSA).
“Moldova is an important market for Ukrainian poultry,” said Ukraine’s Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture Oleksiy Sobolev. “In 2025, exports totaled 18,400 metric tons worth $32.7 million, so the decision to temporarily suspend imports needs to be resolved as soon as possible.”
According to the ministry, the parties agreed to address Moldova’s concerns by strengthening inspection controls over Ukrainian poultry exporters.
“Ukraine is confident in the quality of its products, which is confirmed by stable exports to the European Union,” Sobolev said. “We are ready to maximize transparency and provide the Moldovan side with additional guarantees, including laboratory tests in accredited institutions upon request.”
“Our goal is to quickly resolve all technical issues and lift restrictions on poultry exports, as there are no objective grounds for a prolonged suspension,” he added. “We expect the resumption of normal trade dynamics in the near future.”
After the meeting, the sides agreed to continue joint efforts to remove trade barriers, the Ukrainian ministry said.
Moldova’s National Food Safety Agency temporarily banned imports of poultry meat and poultry feed from Ukraine on January 26, 2025.
The Ukrainian Union of Poultry Farmers called the restrictions artificial and aimed at pushing Ukrainian producers out of the Moldovan market. The group called for the immediate repeal of the measures, which it called unjustified and biased. Ukraine’s poultry export revenues will reach $1.149 billion in 2025, up 13.7% from 2024.
The Netherlands was the largest buyer of Ukrainian poultry in 2025, accounting for 17.4% of exports, followed by the UK (11.5%), Saudi Arabia (9.9%) and Slovakia (7.6%).
