With EU support, small food producers in Moldova will operate under simplified conditions
On January 15, 2025, the Government approved the “Simplified Requirements for the Activities of Small Food Producers and Amendments to Government Decision No. 643/2003 regarding the Approval of Methodological Norms and Classification Criteria for Tourist Accommodation and Catering Structures.”
The new requirements will allow small producers to start operations under more accessible conditions, with minimal costs for designing and equipping production spaces.
Key aspects important for small food producers include:
- Simplifying the registration process for small producers of animal-origin food products. They will register in the food safety sector without the obligation to contract a veterinarian’s services.
- Reducing the frequency of sample collection for microbiological analysis of animal-origin food products.
- Less stringent conditions for designing production units – all production stages within a food enterprise may be conducted in a single space, provided cross-contamination is avoided.
- Exemption from developing and implementing HACCP – small producers can follow good practice guidelines based on food safety principles to manage risks in their food products.
Additionally, small producers will have the opportunity to deliver directly or sell retail food products of both animal and non-animal origin to final consumers or commercial units.
The project also sets requirements for small-scale slaughterhouses and the sale of raw milk through vending machines.
Simplified requirements also extend to tourist and agrotourism guesthouses offering meal preparation and service, including:
- Preparing and serving culinary products and wine made from their own farm-produced raw materials.
- The right to purchase food products from household producers, specifically:
- Meat from poultry and lagomorphs traditionally slaughtered at home;
- Plant-based products (vegetables and fruits, including those processed into other products);
- Milk, dairy products, and chicken eggs (for human consumption).
These changes will significantly boost small-scale production activities, enable household producers to legally market their food products, and foster rural tourism development in the Republic of Moldova.
The new regulations were approved thanks to the collaboration between the EU, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry, and the National Agency for Food Safety (ANSA) to ensure compliance with food quality standards.
The National Agency for Food Safety and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry have made significant efforts to secure these advantages for the Republic of Moldova. The first steps were taken in November 2022, when a delegation from Moldova, led by the General Director of the National Agency for Food Safety conducted a study visit to Lithuania.
