site.btaBulgarian Fruit and Vegetable Chamber Meets Moldovan Ambassador to Discuss Its Concerns over Increased EU Import Quotas for Moldova

Officials of Bulgaria's Fruit and Vegetable Branch Chamber (FVBC) Tuesday met with Moldovan Ambassador Emil Jacota to discuss local producers' concerns over a recent EU Council decision to increase import quotas for Moldovan fruit and vegetables. The increase more specifically concerns plums, table grapes, apples, and cherries, the Chamber said in a press release.

The meeting was held at the invitation of Ambassador Jacota, following an open letter sent by the Chamber concerning the EU Council’s decision.

Jacota proposed that a meeting be held between Bulgarian and Moldovan industry representatives from the fruit and vegetable sector.

FVBC chairperson Tsvetan Tsekov invited the Ambassador to visit Bulgarian farms to see firsthand the work of local producers. "We witness the challenges our producers face daily. We comply with various mandatory EU requirements, yet we are not placed on an equal footing with our colleagues from Moldova. What is more, we must contend with unregulated imports from third countries. We are concerned about losing markets," Tsekov noted.

Ambassador Jacota said that Moldova is confidently progressing toward full EU membership and that its agricultural producers are adapting to the Community’s standards.

Svetlana Boyanova, advisor to the Chamber, said: "It is not only direct imports into Bulgaria that are reducing opportunities to sell Bulgarian products but also imports into our traditional EU markets. Farmers in other Member States are facing similar challenges with products coming from third countries."

The sides expressed readiness to continue the dialogue and strengthen cooperation between the two countries’ agricultural sectors.