Moldova - Agriculture

Cropland covers about 69% of the Moldovan land area. Agricultural activities engaged 40% of the labor force in 1999. Agriculture is the most important sector of the Moldovan economy, accounting for 26% of GDP and 64% of exports in 2001. Agricultural output had an average annual decline of 13.7% during 1990–2000. In 2000, state-controlled farms accounted for only 1.2% of gross agricultural production, down from 10.2% in 1995. About 14% of all cropland is under irrigation.

Moldovan crops and their 1999 production amounts (in tons) include: sugar beets, 1,005,000; wheat, 782,000; grapes, 300,000; corn, 1,139,000; sunflowers, 284,000; barley, 181,000; potatoes, 329,000; and soybeans, 3,000.

Wine and tobacco products are important agricultural exports. Wine production totaled 184,000 tons in 1999, and overall tobacco production was 21,000 tons. All tobacco is grown on state farms; the monopoly and lack of buyers has limited privately grown tobacco.