A cherry hydrocooling system was installed and put into operation at a company in Moldova. The innovative equipment cools the cherries with a cold water jet during seven minutes. After they are hydrocooled, the cherries are kept in a cold storage facility and are later calibrated and packed in the packing asked by the buyer.

The system enables to cool the cherries in a short period of time and the fruit can be kept for up to 30 days. The producer can thus constantly supply cherries and negotiate advantageous extra-season prices. The cherries stored in cold storage facilities without being hydrocooled can be kept for 7-9 days only.

According to the Association of Fruit Producers and Exporters “Moldova Fruct”, the equipment was presented to producers in a specialized seminar. Earlier the farmers could see such equipment only abroad.

The Association’s head Iurie Fala said the cherries need to be hydrocooled rapidly, immediately after they are gathered. The temperature of the seed during two hours should decrease from 29-30 degrees to 4 degrees. Each delay of half an hour reduces the fruit keeping period by a day.