Competitiveness of Moldova’s agri-food sector in the context of the deep and comprehensive free trade agreement (DCFTA)

Abstract

This research aims to assess the competitiveness of the Moldova’s agricultural sector in the context of the DCFTA with EU. As indicator of the successful/unsuccessful development of the agri-food sector was taken the foreign trade activity. Thus, the given research analyses the changes in the agri-food trade structure during the period 1997-2012, the competitiveness of the agricultural sector and the pattern of trade flows. In order to assess the competitiveness of the agri-food products it was calculated the Grubel-Lloyd index (measuring the intra-industrial trade) and the RTA index (measuring the inter-industrial trade). The obtained results of both RTA and GL indices revealed the competitiveness of such commodity groups as: dairy products, cereals, edible vegetables, beverages and tobacco.

Keywords

• agricultural sector
• agri-food trade
• dcfta
• gl index
• rta index
• republic of moldova