Romanian Govt Might OK Set-Up Of Traditional Products Office

The Office will provide consultancy to producers in the food sector to have traditional food products protected in EU states and it will be in charge with promoting food products as well.

Romanian agriculture minister Dacian Ciolos said he urged the country’s Sanitary and Food Safety Authority to draft a set of norms to allow farmers to produce traditional food products while observing the sanitary norms and sell them nationwide.

As far as ecological products are concerned, Ciolos said that ecological crops are cultivated on nearly 145,000 hectares.

Asked whether the cultivation of genetically modified corn is banned in Romania, Ciolos said a potential decision in this respect will be based on scientific rationale, stressing he “will not comment on any intentions in this respect” at the moment.

Ciolos also mentioned the intention of creating positions of agricultural attachés in four or five EU states, in the beginning, such as France, Holland, Italy or Spain.

The agricultural attachés will be in charge both with maintaining a good relationship with EU states boasting a highly developed agriculture and promoting Romanian food products on the respective markets.

Ciolos attended Monday the opening of the exhibition "agRO Romania. Traditions and Recognition," organized National Owners’ Associations in the Wine and Vineyard sectors (PNVV), the Romanian Meat Association (ARC) and the Ministry of Agriculture, in partnership with MEP Constantin Dumitriu.

The exhibition takes place between March 31 and April 3 and aims to promote Romanian wines and food products among MEPs.