Feasibility and sustainable development of the medicinal plant sector in the Republic of Moldova

Abstract

The medicinal plants sector is one of perspective in the Republic of Moldova, which in the past had a good development (1980-1995) and which is currently in a recovery phase with increased interest from agricultural producers and regional markets. The article provides a comprehensive analysis of the international trade in medicinal plants, budgeting of income and expenses for their cultivation, which allows understanding the main players in the target markets and being able to integrate domestic products emerging from international trends. Based on the research and analyses conducted, prominent deficiencies have been identified that extend to the modernization of production and processing technologies of raw materials, marketing strategies for products derived from medicinal plants, the creation of added value, the implementation of ecological systems for production and processing, as well as the practical management of business operations. These are essential for the development of an efficient operational management system, the increased competitiveness of products and enterprises to ensure access to markets. Additionally, strategic conclusions have been formulated for the sustainable development of the medicinal plant sector, necessary for implementation by value chain actors in the industry.