
In Moldova, the tender announced in August for the purchase of about 42,000 tons of food wheat for the state reserve did not take place.
According to producers of agricultural products and grains, the main reason for the disruption of purchases was the conditions of bidding announced by the authorities through the Agency of Material Reserves, in particular, the low purchase price - 4.8-4.9 lei per kilogram, the division of purchases into 8 batches ranging from 2000 to 6965 tons of food wheat, as well as payment within 30-70 days from the date of delivery. Agricultural producers counted on a higher price, at least by 20-30%. At the same time, taking into account the volumes of batches declared for purchase, farmers with a smaller amount of grain were practically excluded from the auction. In addition, farmers believe that payment within 30-70 days from the date of delivery is too long, and they want the wheat to be paid by the state within a few days. As a result, the authorities will negotiate with representatives of agricultural producers in order to find a solution for the purchase of wheat for the state reserve. The Agency of Material Reserves will review the requirements for the procurement procedure. Igor Grigoriev, Chairman of the Association of Exporters and Producers of Agricultural Products and Grains Agrocereale, believes that the Agency for Material Reserves should enter into direct negotiations with agricultural producers on the purchase of wheat, which is permitted by law, and the price should be set through direct negotiations and depending on market prices, as well as taking into account the situation in the local market. Experts note that if the authorities offer the price requested by farmers, the price of wheat on the market will increase, which will affect mills and bakeries. An increase in flour prices may eventually lead to an increase in the price of bread and bakery products. The Ministry of Agriculture and the Agency of Material Reserves have not yet provided details on the results of discussions with representatives of agricultural producers. //22.09.2022 — InfoMarket.