Moldova's Sunflower Oil Industry on the Brink of Collapse

Moldova's Sunflower Oil Industry Faces Collapse Amidst Export Plummet Moldova is facing a crisis in its sunflower oil industry, with exports plummeting to historic lows. According to Yuri Rizha, executive director of the Agro-Cereale Association, exports have dropped by over 90% in the past ten months, leading to a dramatic decrease in revenue. This sharp decline has forced factories to halt production and lay off workers. "The export of sunflower oil has fallen more than 90%, to 18,120 tons, compared to 183,807 tons in the previous season," Rizha stated. He further explained that income from exports has fallen sevenfold, from over 2.7 billion lei in 2023 to just 411 million lei in 2025. Rizha attributes this crisis to several factors: uncompetitive prices, farmers' reluctance to sell to processors due to long payment delays, and pressure from large trading companies. The situation is critical, threatening the survival of Moldova's oil processing industry and its economic stability. Urgent government intervention is needed to prevent a complete collapse of this vital sector.