Quality table grapes – a priority for Moldova’s vine growers

The table grape industry should become a label identifying Moldova, stated on Wednesday, April 23, Tudor Ciobanu, the president of the freshly founded Association of Producers and Exporters of Table Grapes (APESM), at the official launching ceremony of the organization, Info-Prim Neo reports. According to Ciobanu, APESM was established in February with the purpose of transforming the table grape industry of the country into a national brand with international recognition. Among the Association’s objectives is to revitalize the domestic market of producing table grapes as well as to gain access to and penetrate the international market. Tudor Ciobanu says it is not normal that Moldova, largely an agrarian country, which once used to have a strong viticulture, imports annually some 1,000 tonnes of grapes. For the industry of growing quality table grapes to become widespread in the country, APESM has developed a marketing strategy which includes providing training to all those concerned. The vine growers will have access to the necessary information and technology to develop viable cooperatives, which would be able to ensure large-scale production of diverse table grape varieties. APSEM also intends to provide help in particular to peasant farmers engaged in growing table grapes and to offer assistance to small and mid-sized businesses. “The role of the Association in the table grape industry will be to create and foster champions in the field”, declared Ciobanu, adding that the setting up of specialized cooperatives would contribute to consolidating large areas of land with a view to producing great amounts of grapes. Conrad Fritsch, director of CNFA Moldova, has said that the Agribusiness Development Project (ADP) has the potential to instruct APESM members on the best practices of growing and harvesting table grapes. ABP together with APESM intends to develop a joint package of food quality and safety standards with a view to obtaining new competitive varieties of table grapes. According to Conrad Fritsch, the newly founded association can serve as an instrument for developing a joint marketing strategy and a common brand for all the Moldovan vine growers.