The war in Ukraine disrupted the supply chains for exporting fruit from the Republic of Moldova, while the drought slashed the harvest dramatically. The low market diversification is another challenge faced by the national fruit growers. In the absence of cooperation, association, incomes of at least 25% of the sales are lost, the president of Moldova Fruct Association of Fruit Producers and Exporters Vitalie Gorincioi stated in the national conference “Fruit Business in the Republic of Moldova”, IPN reports.

“It’s time to create a Fruit Office that would serve as a catalyst for the sustainable development of the sector. Each national producer, exporter should contribute to this office. In this connection, Moldova Fruct banks on state support and, surely, on the assistance of the development partners,” stated Vitalie Gorincioi.

Attending the event, Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Vladimir Bolea said association is the future of farmers in Moldova. There is no other method of surviving and coping with competition. Such associations as Moldova Fruct have prospects and future. The markets should be further diversified. “We identify new markets not instead of another market, but in addition to this market. The farmer, after collecting the harvest and putting it in cold storage facilities, needs to have available offers. He should not enter the orchard in February to trim the trees if he does not know where he will sell the future apple harvest. He needs competing offers,” stated the minister.

Moldova Fruct director Iurie Fală said the drought faced by farmers the past two years showed once again that fruit production primarily depends on access to irrigation, but most of the orchards in the Republic of Moldova are not irrigated. The areas occupied by apple, plum and peach orchards have constantly diminished, while the apricot and cherry orchards expanded in area. This year apple exports have expanded to the Middle East and the Moldovan apples are already recognized on more markets in Europe. Over 10,000 tonnes of apples have been exported this year to the EU, mostly to Romania.

The eighth edition of the conference brought together fruit importers and exporters, renowned experts from Moldova and other countries and centered on such issues of interest as the latest trends in the sector, enhancement of Moldovan fruit’s competitiveness, new types of fruit, innovations in the protection of orchards against disease. The event will continue on Friday, December 9.