Moldovan dairy processors will have access to new export opportunities for their products. According to the European Commission's recent decision , the transit of raw milk, as well as other milk products from the Republic of Moldova on the territory of the European Union will be allowed.
This decision is particularly important for domestic producers, allowing them to reduce products transporting costs to countries in Africa and the Middle East, which are the main export destination for these products.
Annually the Republic of Moldova produces 16 thousand tons (16 472 900 liters) of ice cream and other forms of edible ice, about 3,000 tons of which are exported. Moldova's most devoted ice cream consumers are Iraq (79% of exports), Ghana (12.5%), Senegal and Cote d’Ivoire (3.7% of exports each). To see the European Commission Regulation please access: https://cutt.ly/mvJmZgl.
Moreover, this year is a decisive one for the dairy industry, given that the Republic of Moldova has submitted a request to the General Directorate for Health and Food Safety of the European Commission, which will conduct an audit in order to aprove the export of dairy and other milk based products in the European Union countries. The audit will review the National Agency for Food Safety system’s compliance with the European Union requirements, both at central and territorial level, including the laboratories system and animal products producing units.
The transit and export opportunity of dairy and milk-based products to the European Union could be an important factor in the recovery and development of the dairy industry of the Republic of Moldova.
A recent study developed by the Investment Agency shows that in the last three decades, the milk production industry has been in continuous decline, milk production declining by 38% between 2009-2019. The import registers an upward direction of 405%, comparing the years 2009 and 2019, thus representing 30% of the total milk consumed. And 94% of local milk is produced by households (families) and only 6% of milk used for processing comes from agricultural enterprises.
At the same time, the Investment Agency has developed an investment plan, divided into three phases, which will help agricultural enterprises to increasing milk production with a share of 4% to 60%. This percentage growth will both increase the actual milk production in tonnes and determine the amount of required investments.