Moldovan apple producers will benefit on January 16-28 from free consulting on creation of marketing cooperatives from a volunteer of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) Farmer-to-Farmer Program, implemented by CNFA (Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture) Moldova.
USAID volunteer Bruce Bailey has extensive experience in agricultural development and food security in a number of countries in Asia and Africa. The expert will mainly assist a group of farmers who are members of the Moldova Fruit Association, interested in founding a marketing cooperative.
“The expertise will consist in determining the best cooperative model, establishing the potential benefits, the list of services that will be provided and the criteria that must be met by producers to become members of the new entity. The program of Bruce Bailey’s visit to our country includes trainings for agricultural producers, visits to the field, including to markets and fairs of organic products,” indicates USAID.
“Although marketing cooperatives have been discussed for a very long time in the Republic of Moldova and several attempts have been made to promote this production marketing mechanism, agricultural entrepreneurs have so far shown no interest in it. Due to the lack of cooperation we have at least 25% lost revenue from sales and pay at least 15% more for inputs. It is not too late to cooperate: for irrigation, to acquire technologies, new varieties and to enter new markets,” estimated Vitalie Gorincioi, president of the Moldova Fruit Association.
Currently, over two thousand fruit producers are registered in the Republic of Moldova. They are currently facing difficulties related to increased input prices, logistics operations and production marketing. About 97% of Moldovan apple supplies were previously destined for the Russian market and some of them have been redirected in recent years to the EU, as well as to the Middle East. (Moldpres/Business World Magazine)