OREANDA-NEWS. July 11, 2008. In 2007, the total amount of retail trade in Moldova increased 1,5 times as compared to 2005 – from 19,5 billion MDL up to 28,3 billion MDL.

It is stated in regulations on implementing the Strategy of Supporting Development of Internal Trade in Moldova for 2007-2009.

 The qualitative improvement in the structure of retail trade due to increase in sales of non-food stuffs: from 63,8% in 2005 up to 67,6% in 2007 was also noted.

At the same time, the volume of organized trade has also grown – from 54,4% in 2005 up to 59,7% in 2007. The regulation states that it is real to achieve growth in retail sales up to 32,8 billion lei by 2009.

Revenues from sales of small and medium enterprises within the first nine months of 2007 have reached 46 billion 323 million lei, or 26% more than within the same period of 2006 (45,73% of the total sales in economy).

In 2007, the share of retail trade in Chisinau and Balti amounted to 60% and 9%, respectively. The share of the Northern region made 11,4% of all retail trade, Central region – 14,4%, Southern region – 6,3% and Gagauzia – 2,6%.

The regulations also state that during the first 9 months of 2007, the number of small and medium-sized enterprises increased by 3,4 thousand (10%), and amounted to 37,5 thousand. The number of employees in this sector grew by 9,9 thousand persons, reaching 333,5 thousand or 59% of the total number of employees.

According to the State Registration Chamber, in 2007 1438 individual enterprises and 460 companies with limited liability, whose founders previously worked on the basis of the business patent, were registered.