News about Agribusiness
The MAIA Ministry of Agriculture and Food expects that potential tax preferences will partially compensate for the increase in farmers’ costs due to higher prices for inputs and encourage them not to reduce the scale of the spring sowing campaign. According to the Ministry’s estimates, approximately 1.3-1.4 million hectares are to be sown with spring crops in Moldova this spring.
Agrarians will receive financial assistance for the purchase of diesel fuel from March 1, 2026 to May 31, 2026 inclusive. The state will cover their expenses for excise tax, the rate of which in 2026 is 3978.95 lei per ton. At the same time, the amount of aid will not exceed 200 thousand lei per beneficiary.
The government defines new measures to support farmers in the situation in the Middle East at the start of the spring campaign of agricultural works. The Cabinet of Ministers approved amendments to the Tax Code to simplify the VAT refund procedure for farmers.
Tax changes and military force-majeure in Iran left grain market of Kazakhstan in stagnation: deals are single, prices are corrected, and market participants are cautiously looking for new benchmarks.
The government approved two stricter regulations: new rules for the official control of residues of pharmacologically active substances in products of animal origin and requirements for the safety of fertilizers.
Moldagrotech Spring, the International specialized exhibition of agricultural machinery, equipment and technologies for the agrarian sector, will take place at the Moldexpo International Exhibition Center during March 11-14, 2026.
The agricultural sector and the population will incur higher costs due to a sharp increase in fuel prices without any clear explanation. This opinion was expressed during a program on national television.
The March increase in prices for diesel fuel and nitrogen fertilizers may lead to an increase in production costs of agricultural producers by at least 20% during the period from spring field work (March-April) to the beginning of sowing winter crops for the future harvest (August-September).
The initiative to introduce short supply chains, designed to reduce the number of intermediaries between producer and consumer, has received support from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI). However, the Chamber believes that the bill needs to be finalized and should be considered in conjunction with other measures to support domestic producers.
The European Union is facing new challenges to its food safety system due to agri-food products imported from Mercosur countries. Recently, European Commissioners identified more than 80 tons of beef from Brazil containing growth hormones.
The blockage of the Gulf of Hormuz provoked a rise in the price of oil, gas and, along the chain, nitrogen fertilizers (by about 15-20% – depending on the geography of markets).
Approximately 50% of the price of gasoline and diesel fuel sold at gas stations in Moldova are taxes, in particular excise duties and VAT.
Despite rising climate risks, production and logistics costs, as well as agricultural restructuring and changing consumer preferences, European horticulture is showing resilience and adaptability.
In February 2026, Moldova exported just over 11 thousand tons of apples. This is about 500 tons more than in the previous month. But 2 thousand tons less than in February of the previous year.
More than 45 million lei was authorized for payment to farmers by the Agency for Interventions and Payments in Agriculture AIPA during the first working week of March.
Moldovan wines won 119 medals at the spring stage of the international competition MUNDUS VINI, held in Neustadt an der Weinstraße, Germany.
“Tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, police officers and firefighters may be left without fuel for their vehicles,” said Democrația Acasă faction MP Sergiu Stefanco, a member of the Agriculture and Food Industry Commission. He insists on an urgent state of emergency in the energy sector.
The first week of March on the grain market of Moldova also brought increase of prices for wheat (plus 0,15-0,20 lei/kg) and corn (plus 0,10 lei/kg on average). The strengthening of prices corresponds to the dynamics of exchange prices for goods of this group in Europe, as well as in the European ports of the Black Sea countries. However, according to market operators, at the moment, the biggest influence on prices is the rise in the price of diesel fuel, i.e. transportation logistics, and a significant strengthening of the dollar against the euro and Moldovan leu.
Two batches of chicken meat, one from Ukraine and the other from Poland, imported to Latvia were found to be contaminated with salmonella.
The current working week ended with “green”, i.e. – growing indicators of futures for the whole grain group of commodities, rapeseed and sugar. Exchange analysts see this as a direct impact of the lack of positive news about the imminent prospects for the winding down of hostilities and the elimination of logistical failures in the Middle East. However, the factor of not very good weather is gradually coming into play.
