OREANDA-NEWS. July 17, 2012. Moldova will harvest by one third less wheat in 2012 against 2011, Agriculture and Food Minister Vasile Bumacov said today at the end of hearings on the situation in the farming sector organized by the opposition Party of Communists.

Bumacov noted that in 2011 farmers harvested over 800,000 tons of wheat, whereas this year the harvest will hardly amount to 550,000 tons. "So far 40 per cent of the wheat farmlands have been harvested. The quantity of wheat will be lower, but it will be of better quality. About 60 per cent of the harvested wheat will be food wheat," Bumacov said.

He did not rule out an eventual increase in the bread price, but noted that the increase will be insignificant. He said that Moldova will face no bread crisis, and the state reserve will contain 60,000 tons of wheat. "Purchasing a higher amount of wheat for the state reserve will not lead to higher food security, it will merely generate additional spending," Bumacov noted.

The minister added that the amount of wheat harvested this year will be enough to ensure Moldova's internal needs.