Gross agricultural production of Moldova decreased in 2020 by 27.1%, compared to 2019.
These are preliminary figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics. The NBS reported that, the decrease in agricultural production last year was due to a decrease in crop production by 35.9% (which led to a decrease in the total agricultural production index by 26.1%) and livestock production - by 3.8% (-1%). At the same time, in 2020, the share of crop production in the total volume of agricultural production was 64% (in 2019 - 73%), livestock - 36% (in 2019 - 27%). According to preliminary data from the NBS, in particular, the harvest of grain and leguminous crops in 2020 amounted to 1 million 496 thousand tons, having decreased by 57.9% in physical terms (in value terms - by 56.3%). At the same time, the gross harvest of wheat amounted to 568 thousand tons and decreased by 50.5% (in value terms - also by 50.5%). The corn harvest amounted to 778 thousand tons, having decreased by about 63.5% (in value terms - by 63.4%). The harvest of sunflower in 2020 amounted to 487 thousand tons, having decreased by 40% (in value terms by 39.9%), sugar beet - 424 thousand tons (in physical terms - down 30.2%, in value terms - down 30.2%). The harvest of tobacco amounted to 0.4 thousand tons (in physical terms down 20%, in value terms - down 5.8%), soybeans - 31 thousand tons (-51.6% and -52.4%, respectively), rapeseed - 47 thousand tons (-38.9%, - 39.2%, respectively). At the same time, the potato harvest was recorded at the level of 171 thousand tonnes (-3.4%, - 3.3%, respectively). The vegetable harvest amounted to 225 thousand tons (-26.7%, -22.2%, respectively). The production of fruits, nuts and berries was registered at the level of 648 thousand tons (-23.4%, -21.2%, respectively), grapes - 475 thousand tons (-27.9%, -27.6%, respectively). The NBS notes that in 2020 the average yield of cereals and leguminous plants amounted to 18.6 c / ha (-50.4% by 2019), wheat - 18.9 c / ha (-42%), corn – 18.7 c / ha (-56.8%), sunflower - 13.1 c / ha (-42.3%), sugar beet - 327 c / ha (-18.3%), tobacco - 10.9 c / ha (-29.2%), soybeans - 11.9 c / ha (-31.2%), rapeseed - 19.4 c / ha (-4.4%), potatoes - 76.1 c / ha (-22.1%), field crops - 56.1 c / ha (-30.1%), fruits, nuts and berries - 55.3 c / ha (-22.8%), grapes - 39.2 c / ha (-28.5%). According to official data, in 2020, agricultural enterprises produced the bulk of sugar beet - 91.8% of the total, rapeseed - 89%, tobacco - 88.9%, grain and leguminous crops (except corn) - 70.8%, sunflower - 69.4%, soybeans - 61.5%. At the same time, 86.6% of the total volume of potatoes, 80.2% of vegetables, 73.5% of grapes, 73.2% of corn, 67.1% of fruits, nuts and berries and 50.1% of soybeans were produced by household farms and peasant farms. According to the NBS, last year the overall decline in gross livestock production by 3.8% was due to a general reduction in production volumes for all items: meat, milk and eggs. In particular, the cultivation of livestock and poultry in 2020, compared to 2019, decreased by 0.8% - to 183.9 thousand tons, while at agricultural enterprises the indicator increased by 10.9% - to 94.2 thousand tonnes, and in households - decreased by 10.7% - to 89.7 thousand tons. Production of cow's milk decreased by 12.4% - to 321.9 thousand tons, while at agricultural enterprises it decreased by 1.3% - to 23.5 thousand tons, and in households - decreased by 13.1% - to 298.4 thousand tonnes. At the same time, egg production decreased by 6.6% - to 641.3 million units, while at agricultural enterprises the indicator decreased by 10.2% - to 267.3 million units, and in households - decreased by 3.8% - to 374 million units. According to official statistics, households in 2020 accounted for 92.7% of total milk production, 58.3% of total egg production and 48.8% of total livestock and poultry (in live weight). // 01.02.2021 - InfoMarket.
