An industrial cold storage facility with the capacity of 1,000 tonnes will be built within a project launched by the group of producers “Fruva Natural” based in Varatic village of Rascani district. A sorting line will be installed within the same project to the value of over 11 million lei. Of this sum, 4 million lei is the grant provided by the World Bank through the Moldova Agricultural Competitiveness Project (MAC – P). The grant was disbursed after the farmers presented confirmation of the own contribution of over 7 million lei, IPN reports.

The cooperative “Fruva Natural” was founded in March 2014 by five farmers growing apples and plums. They managed to consolidate 50 ha of plantations and annually produce over 1,000 tonnes of apples and plums of eight sorts.

The grants program of the MAC Project offers up to US$350,000 in financial assistance, but not more than 50% of the investment in post-harvesting technologies. In a communique of the project, it is said that within the third call for grants launched recently the groups of producers can file applications by May 31.