Moldovan producers of fruit, vegetables, milk, oil, biscuits or cereal see good market opportunities in Romania, given the embargo imposed by Russia on certain products.
This week, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry held a Romania-Moldova Business Forum attended by representatives from nearly 30 Moldovan companies, as well as officials from the Romanian Chamber of Commerce.
"Fruit juice producers in Moldova want to find partners to export 70-80% of their production to Romania," says Svetlana Vasiliu, sales director of the Moldovan company Famnat-Fruit Srl, which is also devoted to drying, processing and preserving fruit. Last year, the company's turnover amounted to 3 million MDL (165 thousand Euro).
Export of plums and grapes on the rise
"Our commercial relationship is deeply marked by the signing of a free trade agreement with the EU. Now is the time to strengthen the commercial relationship between both countries," said Iurie Renita, Moldovan Ambassador to Romania.
Romania ranks second among Moldova's export partners. In Romania there are nearly 5,000 active companies with Moldovan capital, while in Moldova there are about 1,500 companies. Data for September shows that Romania has become Moldova's main trading partner, with seed exports growing by 550% in September, plum shipments by 4.160% and grapes by 1.190%."
Data from the first five months of this year show that Russia used to be Moldova's largest trading partner, with a 20% share of its exports; a percentage that had however dropped by 15% in recent years.