In Moldovan villages, raising cows has become too expensive. At the beginning of this year, only 70,000 cattle were registered, 95% less than last year. Villagers are giving up cows because of the price of feed, and local milk is becoming scarcer.
The situation is visible in many localities. In Alava commune, Ștefan Vodă district, Republic of Moldova, the stables are empty. Locals admit they have given up raising cows due to rising feed costs.
“A bottle of mineral water costs more than milk. So water is more expensive than milk. But to get milk, you have to mow, clean, feed, water… It’s a lot of work, from morning to night.” explains a resident of Alava, according to agrotv.
Adding to these difficulties is the abnormal drought of recent years, which is affecting fodder production.
“There is a problem with fodder: the heat is intense, everything burns, we have nothing to feed them”the villagers add.
The mayor of Alava commune, Veaceslav Syvak, confirms the dramatic decrease in the number of cattle. “Two years ago, there were 20 cows; now there is only one left – on one farm,” he he said.
The trend is found nationwide: cows are disappearing from people’s households, and rural life is changing with them.
The situation is, however, better in large farms. There the number of herds increased by about 5%, thanks to government financial support. An example is the farm of Serghei Filipov, from the village of Lazo, which manages about 80 cows for milk.
“We produce 130-140 liters daily, sometimes up to 150. If it wasn’t profitable, I wouldn’t raise cows. Currently, we receive a subsidy of 3 lei per liter of milk”, says the farmer for the cited source.
