Moldova’s Cabinet of Ministers has begun to tackle the issue of monopoly over walnut exports. Prime Minister Maia Sandu asked the civil servants responsible to get serious about eliminating the monopoly and asked that the Prosecutor’s Office – which had previously opened criminal lawsuits against several companies over the issue – contribute to resolving the current situation.

“Criminal lawsuits were opened to several economic agents impeding them from exporting walnuts. The small number of economic agents that could do exports lead to a monopoly state. Now the process is blocked by the Prosecutor’s Office,” the Prime Minister said during a Cabinet Meeting on August 1.

The Minister of Agriculture, Regional Development and Environment, Georgeta Mincu, also stated today that one solution would be to allow the restricted agents to export nuts, but to maintain rigorous control over their transactions.

“We produce 14,000 tons of walnuts per year and we have exported 10,000 tons. We do not have the illegal import and export to justify this charge of smuggling. Walnut producers are discouraged from investing in this sector. The Republic of Moldova has the perfect climate for growing walnuts. We  are among the top nut exporters. We have the potential to grow this big field and by establishing this assumption of smuggling, we are destroying a newly created sector,” the Minister said during the Cabinet Meeting. 

In 2018, the price of the walnut-kernel decreased and it was sold at a low price. Images appeared on social media comparing the price of walnut-kernel in the Republic of Moldova, which ranged from 35 to 70 lei (€1.77 to €3.53) per kilogram, to the price in France and Romania where it was priced as high as €20 per kilogram. At the time, the then opposition Solidarity and Action Party, along with the Dignity Platform, accused the family of former Prime Minister Pavel Filip of being involved in the monopoly on walnut-kernel.