The most efficient cherry sorting line is launched in Straseni

Moldovan cherry producers can expand their presence on international markets, thanks to a new automated sorting and packaging line installed at GAIA Investment regional HUB in Bucovăț, Straseni district.

This line for the time being the most powerful in the country allows automated sorting of cherries according to size, color and caliber, eliminating fruit with internal defects and facilitating efficient packaging. The investment in post-harvest infrastructure includes a hydrocooler for cooling the collected fruit. This machine allows a higher quality level and a longer shelf life to be maintained.

UCIMPRSVV Director Iurie Brumarel, Livada Moldovei: “We are glad to see the success of the beneficiaries of the Livada Moldovei project implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry. GAIA Investment took a loan of 900 thousand euros and made its own contribution of over 946 thousand euros to install a state-of-the-art cherry sorting and packing line, and to create the entire value chain for the harvesting, storage and marketing of cherries and other horticultural products.”

“USAID is proud to collaborate with Gaia Investment and to support the establishment of a regional cherry consolidation and sorting center. Investments like this will take the sector to the next level, provide access to European markets for smaller producers, and contribute to higher incomes for all participants in the value chain – producers, exporters, and their employees. These achievements and prospects for success are due to the close partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry and the Moldova Fruct Association,” said Andrew Segars, USAID Senior Economic Advisor.

Founded by three entrepreneurs with experience in the horticultural sector – a German fruit trader, an exporter and a Moldovan fruit producer – GAIA Investment SRL has also benefited from $55,000 in support from USAID through the Rural Competitiveness and Resilience Activity  (RCRA) which has set up a regional cherry consolidation and packing center, enabling it to consolidate fruit from producers in the region, sort and pack it according to the buyer’s specifications.

Minister of Agriculture and Food Vladimir Bolya emphasized: “Agricultural association brings significant benefits by enabling smallholder farmers to access modern and efficient services that would otherwise be economically unaffordable. The creation of co-operatives demonstrates how resources and knowledge can be pooled to add value to the sector. Farmers who join together and invest are automatically placed in a higher category, thereby maximizing their income. The instance of the Moldova Fruct Association, which managed to maintain production and avoid significant losses thanks to pooling and close co-operation between members, clearly demonstrates the practical advantages of co-operation in agriculture. It is obvious that association solves the two biggest problems of Moldovan agriculture: high production costs and low selling prices. The social effect of the partnership is also noticeable: young people get involved in their parents’ farms, ensuring continuity and sustainable development of Moldovan agriculture.”

Thanks to the investments made in recent years in modern varieties, sorting and pre-cooling equipment, Global G.A.P./GRASP certification – Moldovan cherries can more easily face the competition on the international market. The effectiveness of these investments was demonstrated in the previous season, when Moldova managed to significantly increase its presence on the EU market.

„Without the sorting line and the hydrocooler installed this year, exports would have been practically impossible. This is a major investment, but it will allow us to enter the EU market with quality products with high added value,” said Mihai Chilianu, GAIA Investment.

Continued investments by USAID and its partners have improved Moldova’s export opportunities, resulting in exports of 16,000 tonnes of cherries in 2023 worth more than $22 million, placing Moldova among the top 10 cherry exporting countries in the world.

This year, despite bad weather conditions for cherries, in May-June, Moldova has already exported 12,300 tons of cherries, and 1,700 tons have reached the EU market. The export season of cherries will end in mid-July.