Moldova's First Modern Strawberry Production Site Opens in Criuleni

A joint Moldovan-Dutch company, Interconsult-MD, is opening its doors today as it officially launches its strawberry production site in Criuleni. The first of its kind in Moldova, the site is a 9-ha intensive strawberry plantation with risen beds, mulching, drip irrigation, high and low tunnels and off-season greenhouse production. The production site was made possible through a cost-sharing grant financed by the Agribusiness Development Project (ADP), funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by CNFA. Local public authorities and representatives of regional extension services are scheduled to attend the event. The opening ceremony was held on June 23 at 11:00 am in Criuleni, at the intersection of Balcani Highway and the detour road of Criuleni.

Interconsult-MD uses selected cultivars to ensure continuous harvesting of strawberries from May to October. The company’s use of modern harvest and post-harvest techniques ensures a high-quality strawberry yield for domestic and international markets. Due to these techniques, the strawberries will maintain their optimal quality even with long-distance transportation. Interconsult-MD Director, Mr. Gheorghe Uncu, sees opportunities for Moldovan strawberries as an "off-season product on the domestic market selling for as much as 6 times the price of regular strawberries; while the production and post-harvest technologies guarantee an excellent quality of the output, which also implies better sales returns."

ADP, funded by the American people, provides cost-sharing grants and technical assistance to agricultural enterprises and producers to increase the international competitiveness and trade potential of Moldova’s high-value agricultural sector. Interconsult-MD is just one example of this highly successful program. In addition to expanding production and sales volume, Interconsult-MD created 60 new jobs for Moldovan citizens and hosted a field-training event for other producers interested in adapting similar technologies.