The sector of table grapes from Moldova will receive support through the initiative, One Country One Priority Product (OCOP), led globally by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). A technical assistance project, evaluated at $350,000, was signed by Deputy Prime Minister, Agriculture and Food Industry Minister Vladimir Bolea and FAO Representative in Moldova Raimund Jehle on February 27.
Agriculture and Food Industry Minister Vladimir Bolea stressed that this cooperation with FAO was perfectly aligned with the government’s commitment to promote the innovational and sustainable agricultural practices.
“The implementation of this agreement will help the government improve the entire value chain of the table grapes sector, promoting a smart, sustainable agriculture, resistant to the climate changes, along with the diversification of the local markets and consolidation of the export capacities. I am confident that FAO’s expertise would be useful for the producers of table grapes at small scale, who will be able to learn and enforce new technologies and instruments, in order to increase the production and sales,” the official said.
The FAO country representative, Raimund Jehle, said that “this support is meant to respond to the immediate challenges and provides a solid basis for enhancing the resilience and profitableness of the table grapes sector”.
“This initiative is part of FAO’s Regional Priorities, with the goal of development of small farmers, family farms and young farmers,” Jehle said.
The OCOP Initiative allows states to highlight and stimulate the development of the value chains for Special Agricultural Products, which distinguish themselves through unique qualities, geographical denomination, agricultural practices, which are part of the cultural heritage or have a potential which is not fully turned to account.
In Moldova, the annual production of grapes is of more than 130,000 tons, of which 60% is traditionally exported. (Moldpres/Business World Magazine)