Viorel SCUTARU (Head of the Agriculture and Food Division) at FERM 2025: “Without support and investment, our agriculture will not be able to take the step toward Europe”
100 economic opportunities for the development of the Moldova Region on the A7 Highway route
REGIONAL ECONOMIC FORUM MOLDOVA 2025
19th Edition – Vatra Dornei, July 9–13, 2025
Thematic Panel:
Agriculture and Mountain Economy – Sustainable Development and Local Resource Valorization
Speaker:
Viorel Scutaru – Ungheni District Council (Republic of Moldova)
Presentation topic:
“Agriculture in Ungheni District: Challenges and Opportunities for Local Producers”
Representative of the Ungheni District Council of the Republic of Moldova, Viorel Scutaru, Head of the Agriculture and Food Section, delivered a concise yet information-rich presentation on the agricultural realities of the district, especially in light of the European agricultural future and local potential.
Call for Solidarity and Institutional Cooperation between Romania and the Republic of Moldova
From the very beginning of his address, Viorel Scutaru – representative of the Ungheni District Council – made a sincere and pragmatic appeal to Romanian authorities, particularly to the County Agricultural Directorates, emphasizing the need for active partnership in the context of the Republic of Moldova’s approach to European structures:
“I’m glad to have you here and I encourage you to remain receptive in the coming period. Very soon, we will need your support and expertise. The Republic of Moldova is in the pre-accession phase and will begin accessing European funds starting in 2027. You have already been through this process – you understand its complexity, and you know the real challenges. Therefore, I openly ask for your support – we need your expertise and cooperation.”
Through this statement, Viorel Scutaru underlined the need for an institutional transfer of knowledge, best practices, and transition experience, aimed at strengthening administrative capacity and efficiently preparing Moldovan agriculture to access EU funds.
A Statistical Overview of Agriculture in Ungheni District
Ungheni District is located in the central-western part of the Republic of Moldova and is characterized by a landscape of low hills, wide valleys, and the Middle Prut River floodplain. The climate is temperate-continental, and the soils have a high degree of fertility.
The district covers a total area of 108,300 hectares, of which 51,804 hectares are agricultural land. Their distribution is as follows:
- Arable land – 43,756 ha
- Pastures and hayfields – 16,429 ha
- Orchards – 3,230 ha
- Vineyards – 1,506 ha
- Walnut plantations – 375 ha
- Land under water – 2,633 ha
- Roads – 2,950 ha
- Buildings and yards – 2,745 ha
- Streets – 2,677 ha
- Other areas – 173 ha
As for crops, large-scale crops still dominate:
- Wheat – 10,700 ha
- Grain corn – 10,920 ha
- Sunflower – 10,360 ha
- Rapeseed – 2,250 ha
- Barley – 715 ha
- Vegetables – 410 ha
- Orchards – 3,230 ha
- Vineyards – 1,506 ha
“We have four main crops – wheat, corn, sunflower, and rapeseed – but we can’t implement a proper crop rotation because monoculture predominates. It’s a serious agronomic issue that, in the long term, affects soil fertility.”
This situation calls for clear diversification policies, adoption of modern agricultural technologies, and encouragement of value-added crops.
Livestock Sector – A Weak Link with Strategic Potential
During his intervention at FERM 2025, Viorel Scutaru candidly highlighted one of the greatest vulnerabilities of agriculture in Ungheni District: the chronic underdevelopment of the livestock sector, a factor that directly impacts soil health and agroecosystem balance.
“The livestock sector is, unfortunately, very poorly developed – nearly nonexistent in some areas. The lack of organic fertilizers seriously affects soil structure, which is degrading year by year. It’s an unhealthy and unsustainable process for the region’s agricultural future.”
Comparing Ungheni’s situation to other areas like Suceava County in Romania, Scutaru highlighted existing gaps and the need for strategic action.
Currently, Ungheni District has only two functional clusters:
- “Stâna de Vest” – a cluster dedicated to sheep and goats
- “Green Farm” – a cluster focused on the cattle sector
These form an insufficient base to support an integrated agricultural cycle and contribute to the natural fertilization of soils.
This reality calls for urgent interventions at the level of agricultural policies and investments, both from internal sources and future EU funds, to revitalize the livestock sector and restore the agroecological cycle.
European Perspectives and the Need for Strategic Partnerships
Viorel Scutaru emphasized that the Republic of Moldova’s EU accession process opens unprecedented opportunities for developing agriculture and the rural economy. He also stressed that the pre-accession period must be managed with utmost responsibility and efficiency, to avoid administrative blockages and resource waste.
“Romania has already gone through this stage. You know the risks, difficulties, and bureaucratic traps. We are just at the beginning of this journey and cannot afford to waste time or resources. It is essential to benefit from technical support, expertise, and the exchange of best practices.”
His message was clear: cross-border collaboration and knowledge transfer from Romanian partners – especially from Agricultural Directorates and county authorities – are crucial for Moldova to make the most of this strategic window of opportunity.
Conclusions: The Path to Sustainable and EU-Oriented Agriculture
Viorel Scutaru’s intervention stood out through a pragmatic discourse, grounded in local realities and oriented towards solutions. He offered not only an honest assessment of Ungheni District’s agricultural sector but also a well-articulated call for strengthening cross-border partnerships, particularly with Romania.
The central message was one of balance between potential and challenge. Ungheni has valuable natural resources, fertile soil, and favorable geographic positioning. However, to turn these assets into a real competitive advantage, there is a need for sustained investment, technological modernization, diversification of agricultural production, and revitalization of the livestock sector.
In the context of Moldova’s approach to the European Union, Scutaru emphasized the importance of a strategic and sustainable approach, one that avoids past mistakes and leverages the experience of EU member states. Support from Romanian partners, expertise transfer, and institutional collaborations thus become essential for a successful transition to European standards.
Through openness to dialogue and a realistic acknowledgment of local needs, Ungheni District sends an important message: the future of Moldovan agriculture depends on vision, solidarity, and the ability to build lasting bridges between regions, across borders.
