Moldova Fruct Proposes the Orchard Register: A Unified Record-Keeping System for Traceability and Food Safety for Producers and Consumers

The Moldova Fruct Association has developed the Orchard Register, a tool designed to consolidate, within a single format, the records required from fruit growers and to establish a common framework linking national legal requirements, European quality and food safety standards, and international certification systems, including GLOBALG.A.P.

The objective is to enable producers to keep consistent and easily verifiable orchard records covering all treatments with plant protection products, fertilisers and irrigation, without having to enter the same information in several separate registers.

Accordingly, the Register brings together, within a common structure, data on the orchard, operators and equipment, professional training, the record-keeping and use of plant protection products, fertilisation and fertigation, irrigation, disease and pest monitoring, as well as flowering and harvesting periods.

The Integrated Production Guidelines also provide that the Orchard Register must be kept up to date and made available for internal inspections and, where applicable, external audits.

A Single Register for Producers

Moldova Fruct proposes a unified approach to technical record-keeping in the fruit-growing sector: one set of information structured to simultaneously meet farm management requirements, traceability requirements, national record-keeping requirements and the requirements of certification schemes.

The Integrated Production Scheme developed by the Association already facilitates alignment with international standards of good agricultural practices, including GLOBALG.A.P., and aims to reduce risks associated with residues, strengthen farm management and guide producers towards more sustainable production.

Maintaining the Register is becoming increasingly relevant in the context of the development of producer organisations and the need to apply consistent production practices across groups of farmers.

A unified record-keeping format can simplify administration, reduce duplication of documentation and improve compatibility between what producers actually do in the orchard, what they are required to demonstrate for certification purposes and what they need to present during inspections.

Benefits for Every Fruit Grower and for the Entire Fruit Value Chain

For producers, the benefits begin with greater clarity throughout the entire production process, more responsible use of resources and improved sustainability of production.

For commercial partners, standardised records provide greater traceability.

Last but not least, for consumers and society as a whole, the benefits include a higher level of food safety and greater confidence in locally produced agricultural products.

The Moldova Fruct Association has initiated discussions with the relevant public authorities regarding the recognition of the Moldova Fruct Fruit Quality Scheme, including the Integrated Production Guidelines for apples, sweet cherries and plums, together with the Orchard Register project.

The Association has also established a pilot group of producers to test the tool under real production conditions and intends to adjust it before expanding its use across the sector.

At the same time, Moldova Fruct has expressed its readiness to engage in institutional dialogue aimed at finalising, strengthening and promoting these tools.

Testing First, Followed by a Digital Version

The project has now advanced to the practical testing stage.

Twenty-five producers, members of the Moldova Fruct Association, participated in a working session dedicated to the Orchard Register and the Integrated Production Guidelines.

During the event, participants reviewed the structure of the documents, the way they should be completed and their practical applicability in day-to-day farming activities.

Feedback collected from producers during the testing process will serve as the basis for further adjustments to the tools, after which a digital solution will be developed.

Expanding the Orchard Register Across the Sector

Moldova Fruct calls on the relevant institutions to contribute to the assessment, adjustment and validation of the tool, so that it can become a functional solution for the entire sector.

The Orchard Register forms part of the Moldova Fruct Integrated Fruit Production Scheme, developed together with the Integrated Production Guidelines for apples, plums and sweet cherries.

The development of the tool is supported through the PROGRESS project, funded by the German Government and implemented by a consortium of organisations led by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, in partnership with EBA Moldova, IEF, OECD and RECC.