Agriculture : Demand for domestic fruit and veg doubled in five years

10 to 15 years ago, imported fruits and vegetables attracted most of the attention of Romanian consumers, as they often had a more commercial appearance than local produce; however, the situation has recently reversed. Romanians have been increasingly looking for local vegetables and fruits, which they now consider greener and tastier, freshplaza.com reads.

"Demand has skyrocketed in recent years, but especially last year, when more and more Romanians realised that many imported products, in addition to being more expensive, can sometimes be of poor quality and not always safe," stated Aurel Tanase, president of the National Vegetables and Fruits Organization, Inter-Prodcom.

He affirms that demand for Romanian products has practically doubled over the last five years. The most popular local vegetables and fruits are apples, tomatoes and cucumbers. As a consequence of the growing demand, the country's greenhouse acreage has also increased substantially.

Tanase also reported that during Advent, the demand for fruits and vegetables increases at the expense of meat consumption. "We are very happy that everyone who sells onions, vegetables, herbs, roots and fruits are marketing a large share of Romanian products," he said.

Furthermore, producers are preparing for the regulation which will require at least 51% of the fruit and vegetables on store shelves to be of domestic origin. Tanase says that the new rules will be established by a government decision, which is likely to pass by the end of this month.

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