ECOLOGICAL AGRICULTURE DEVELOPMENT IN THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA: EVOLUTION AND BENEFITS.

In recent years, organic products have been in an increasing demand with consumers. For those who decide to make the transition from conventional to organic or to start a business with organic products, organic agriculture offers many benefits. Organic agriculture is growing in the Republic of Moldova and contributes to global agricultural exports. However, subsidies for organic agriculture are limited. In this context, the study aims to analyse the development prospects in competition with less quality but cheaper traditional products. During the research of this subject, the following methods were used: deduction and induction, analysis, comparison, tabular method and graphical method. In the Republic of Moldova, organic agriculture began to grow only in the years 2002-2004 when the dialogue with the European Union on the share of vegetables, fruits, grapes, berries produced in Moldova and exported to the EU countries began. The structure of crops grown within organic agriculture practices in the Republic of Moldova includes primarily traditional crops (wheat, corn, barley, sunflower, sugar beet, soybeans, peas, etc.), medicinal plants, orchards and vineyards. However, the implementation of organic agricultural systems in the Republic of Moldova is characterized by modest indicators compared to other European countries. Impediments to its promotion are related to the low level of investment, limited access to financial resources, low level of entrepreneurial and professional qualities of most farmers, limited size of the internal market and tough demands of foreign markets, poor harmonization of national standards with the European ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]