Prime Minister Iurie Leanca, after a meeting with fruit and vegetable producers, said the Government is looking for solutions to diminish the losses sustained as a result of the import restrictions imposed by Russia. The allocation of 20 million lei for the state to purchase fruit for kindergartens, schools and the army from the producers is a first announced solution, IPN reports.

The Premier said he is discussing the possibility of increasing Moldova’s exports of fresh and canned fruit and vegetables with officials from a number of European countries.

Iurie Leanca reiterated the necessity of augmenting the consumption of fruit and vegetables on the home market and of rethinking the methods of promoting the local production in the national shops so that the fruit and vegetables do not stay on the floor, but on shelves.

Answering a journalist’s question if Moldova will file an application to the World Trade Organization over the ban imposed by Russia, Iurie Leanca said that if Russia erects tariff barriers in relation to the Moldovan products, they can resort to such a move. For the time being, there were imposed no tariff barriers. A working group was created to study the legal aspects of the problem. Durable solutions will be worked out and made public by September 1.