On December 30, the Moldovan government extended the licensing of wheat, corn, and sunflower imports for six months.
The import restrictions on agricultural products will remain in effect until June 30, 2025.
The government clarified that the extension is aimed at protecting local farmers and maintaining stability in the domestic market. “The import licensing mechanism was introduced in October 2023. It helped prevent an excess of imported products at lower prices, which could have led to a decline in the value of domestic products,” the government stated.
As of early December, Moldova reportedly has sufficient reserves of wheat, corn, and sunflower to meet all domestic needs for the coming months. This includes 290,000 tons of wheat, 662,000 tons of corn, and 249,000 tons of sunflower.
The “Strength of Farmers” association threatened on December 20 to block all checkpoints on the border with Ukraine if the authorities did not extend the import restrictions on grains, which were set to expire on December 31.
It is worth recalling that Moldova introduced the licensing of grain, corn, and sunflower imports last fall. This was due to the significantly lower production costs and, consequently, lower prices in Ukraine compared to Moldova.
