Returnees from Italy build greenhouse farm amid import pressures
After spending 15 years working in Italy, the Țapu family returned to their native village of Buțeni, investing their savings and bank loans into a modern commercial vegetable operation.
Modern infrastructure and local employment
The entrepreneurs established a 1.8-hectare greenhouse complex, purchased directly from Italy, where they cultivate tomatoes and cucumbers between May and October. The venture provides stable employment for over 20 local residents.
“We chose vegetable farming because we wanted to earn a livelihood at home rather than staying abroad,” said co-founder Angela Țapu. “We plant in May and harvest through October before cold weather halts unheated operations.”
To sustain irrigation, the founders engineered a rainwater harvesting system connected to a retention basin. Pipes channel run-off from the greenhouse roofs directly into the reservoir, allowing water to be pumped back to irrigate the crops efficiently.
Market barriers and import pressures
Despite securing distribution agreements with retail supermarket chains in Chișinău, local growers face significant pricing hurdles once seasonal vegetable imports enter the domestic market.
“Sales start well in May and June, but heavy volumes of imported produce quickly undermine domestic prices,” Țapu noted. “We consulted the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry to demand supportive safeguards for domestic capital investments.”
The family has also expanded into fruit production by planting a 12-hectare plum orchard, though fluctuating yields have limited short-term returns. Despite these headwinds, the founders remain committed to scaling their agrifood business in Moldova.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
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