Moldovan Vegetable Growers Discussed the Use of Alternative Energy at the Second Greenhouse Cluster Meeting March 30, 2007
The Agribusiness Development Project (ADP), financed by United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by Citizens Network for Foreign Affairs (CNFA) organized the Second Greenhouse Cluster Meeting on March 29, 2007, at 9.30. The cluster meeting was attended by 55 participants, including 42 vegetables producers from Moldova. The morning session with three presentations focused on energy conservation and on use of alternative sources of energy. Visits to greenhouse producers in Anenii Noi raion followed, where meeting participants were offered first-hand information on the use of efficient systems of energy conservation for production of vegetables in greenhouses.
Although a country with excellent agricultural resources, Moldova imports most of its vegetables in the out-of-season months. The reestablishment of year round greenhouse production of fresh vegetables can materially reduce imports of these high value products while simultaneously increasing Moldovan rural incomes and employment and reducing dependence on foreign produce. The effects of higher natural gas prices may be diminished by using alternative sources of energy, like wood, straw and other agriculture wastes.
The studies presented at the seminar showed that the production of tomatoes in greenhouse is most profitable if the crop is planted in December/January, polycarbonate cover material is used at building and straw is used for heating. Even though the cost of the straw heating system is more expensive than the one using gas, it recuperates the cost in one year as the price for straw is lower. Each year 3 million tons of biomass is left unused or burned on fields in Moldova. The speakers recommended the machine building industry to design equipment for collecting, cutting and transporting the biomass as well as biomass burners for the need of the greenhouse vegetables production. This approach has been successfully implemented in countries like Finland, Germany, France and Netherlands.
The Second Greenhouse Cluster Meeting was a part of a series of events sponsored by ADP in its effort to support the profitable revival of the Moldova greenhouse production sector.
 | In the picture: ADP expert Victor Rosca making an on-site presentation for the Second Greenhouse Cluster Meeting participants. | | 
