Food prices may rise due to increasing gas prices, Minister of Agriculture
Prices for bread, cooking oil, flour, and sugar could rise soon as energy and logistics costs increase. The Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry, Eugeniu Osmochescu, acknowledges that hikes in gas and energy prices could trigger a ripple effect on staple-good prices.
"Economically speaking, a price hike triggers a chain reaction with multiple components. It is not just about energy costs; logistics play a role too, starting with production costs. Yes, we can expect further increases," stated Osmochescu during a show on Realitatea TV.
When asked if potential price hikes would fuel public discontent and criticism of the government, the minister replied that government members are also concerned about the issues facing the population.
"We are citizens too, just like those in government. We deal with these problems every day, but we have to cope with the situation," he said.
Third gas price hike since the start of the year
Less than a month after increased gas tariffs came into effect on September 1, Energocom has once again requested a rate hike. The company justifies the request by noting that the gas purchase price has exceeded the figure factored into the current tariff by over 43%, resulting in negative tariff variances that—according to Energy Minister Dorin Junghietu—already exceed 180 million lei.
For household consumers, Energocom has proposed a nearly 30% increase, raising the rate from 18.79 lei to 24.30 lei per 1,000 cubic meters. ANRE calculated a tariff of 24.20 lei, which would reach 26.13 lei once VAT is included. This would mark the third gas tariff increase since the beginning of the year, when the public was paying 16.74 lei per 1,000 cubic meters. The adjusted tariffs are expected to take effect in October.
The price hikes also affect thermal energy. Termoelectrica has requested an 82.6% increase in the heating tariff for Chișinău—from 2,020 lei to 3,689 lei per gigacalorie—while ANRE calculated a rate of 3,277 lei (3,539 lei with VAT). In Bălți, CET-Nord requested an increase of nearly 96%—from 2,201 lei to 4,314 lei per gigacalorie—whereas ANRE calculated a rate of 3,374 lei (3,643 lei with VAT). Price hikes will also affect electricity produced via cogeneration. Termoelectrica proposes adjusting the tariff from 2.31 to 5.21 lei per kWh, while ANRE has calculated a rate of 4.62 lei. CET-Nord requested an increase from 2.77 to 6.99 lei per kWh, with ANRE proposing 5.07 lei.
Compensation — at least at last year's level
The government has committed to implementing a utility bill compensation program at least at last year's level, when over 620,000 households received monthly payments ranging from 500 to 1,000 lei. The estimated cost of the program for the entire cold season stands at 2.3–2.4 billion lei, of which only about 500 million lei was allocated in the 2026 budget revisions.
Authorities are seeking sources to top up the funds, including by persuading development partners to contribute and by cutting state administrative expenses. Minister of Labor Natalia Plugaru announced that the minimum payment will likely remain at 500 lei, while the maximum cap will be determined based on available funding, with the aim of covering as many beneficiaries as possible—even if this means lower payments compared to last year.
