European Union supports the efforts of the fruit-growers from the Republic of Moldova to develop alternative crops of stone fruits

European Union Programme “Support to Confidence Building Measures” provides assistance to fruit-growers from the Republic of Moldova to develop alternative crops of stone fruits in order to diversify the range of fruits and to access new export markets. Within a cooperation platform of the fruit growers from both banks of Nistru river, a group of fruit producers study the culture of flat peach, which is increasingly demanded in the last years on the traditional markets and in the EU.

The project contributes to the creation of new business models in the sphere of production of stone fruits according to the experience of the most advanced technologies existing in the EU. These models offer alternatives to the fruit growers specialized in apple production, to diversify the range of traded fruits and to ensure, in this way, long term incomes.

The flat peach is a promising crop with an increased added value, but it requires specialized cultivation techniques. To know them better, the producers from both banks of Nistru river participate in seminars, exchange of experience, assistance missions offered by a foreign expert, as well as in a study visit in Italy.

Recently, the members of the “Moldova Fruct” and “Dnestrovskii Fruct” associations have found out from Italian and Spanish professionals which are the characteristic features of creating flat peach and nectarine plantations, the realities and perspectives of a business based on these stone fruits.

“The flat peach is a delicious fruit. We, at EuroRostAgro SRL company, planted this crop 4 years ago. This year we will harvest the second crop. The prices offered for flat peach are higher than those for common peach, but the sold volumes are lower currently,” Iurie Diuța, a producer from the left bank of Nistru river, mentioned.

“The flat peach is a profitable crop allowing to diversify the risks of the local producers. The strategy promoted by the association is to diversify the range of fruits offered for export and to improve fruit quality in order to increase their competitiveness,” Eugeniu Bumacov, program manager, agrobusiness specialist at Moldova Fruct.

Currently the flat peach is cultivated on an area of approximately 50 hectares in the Republic of Moldova.