Exports of cherries from the Republic of Moldova to the European Union on a rise in 2023
In 2023, the Republic of Moldova exported about 2,600 tons of cherries to the EU markets, according to the data of the Moldova Fruit Association. Fruits from the village of Cobani, Glodeni district, where a local entrepreneur has invested in the development of a cherry orchard on an area of 28 hectares, also reach the EU markets.
In his orchard, Valeriu Gheorghiță has 7 varieties of cherries, on an area of 28 hectares. The entrepreneur says that some are of early varieties, others ripen later and, until the end of the season, are kept in a cold warehouse, recently built with the financial support of the Agency for Intervention and Payments for Agriculture. In order to be as competitive as possible on the market and to get a quality product, Valeriu Gheorghiță built an underground irrigation system, a water storage basin and a pumping station.
"Through AIPA, we obtained a subsidy for the construction of the irrigation system. The cold storage cost us 5 million lei, and the state contribution was over 1.4 million lei. Last year only one truck with cherries went to Russia, the rest of the fruits went to the European market, including France".
A business of this kind, well organized, contributes to the well-being of the locality and provides jobs for the villagers, says the mayor of the village of Cobani, Liliana Burlacu.
"It has the most security guards employed, and day laborers, hence taxes paid to the town hall."
Last year, the harvest season of Moldovan cherries ended with an increase in exports to the European Union market by 12.5 times compared to 2022. The fruits were exported to Spain, Italy, Belgium, Holland, including Great Britain, where there were sold 163 tons of cherries.
