EU support for Centres of Excellence in Horticulture, Viticulture and Winemaking
New orchards and vineyards thanks to the Fruit Garden of Moldova Project
The Centres of Excellence for Horticulture in Țaul and for Viticulture and Winemaking in Stăuceni drafted investment projects which will be financed by the European Investment Bank in the framework of the Fruit Garden of Moldova Project. Part of these intended investments is the grubbing up of old orchards and vineyards and new plantations that will be established according to the latest standards.
The value of grubbing up and planting of new orchards and vineyards is 156 000 EUR out of a total of 2.4 million EUR to be invested into the two institutions over the next years from EIB resources. At the Centre of Excellence for horticulture in Țaul, 39 hectares of old orchards which were no longer productive and overgrown with weeds have been cleared. They will be replaced by a new orchard of only 6 hectares with a very wide range of fruit species such as apples, plums, sweet and sour cherries, pears, mulberries and blackcurrant. A total of 7 937 saplings will be procured for this orchard. At the Centre of Excellence for viticulture and winemaking in Stăuceni, a new vineyard to be established on 2 hectares will replace 5 hectares of cleared vines. We are talking about 8 080 cuttings to be planted. They will include the following varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Rară Neagră, Fetească Neagră, Codrinski Syrah, Kerner, Traminer Rose, Bianca, Solaris, Legenda, Riton, Chardonnay and Feteasca Regală.
The orchards and vineyards are not meant to produce for the market, but serve didactic and demonstration purposes. They will be established by using different planting schemes offering the possibility to provide practical vocational training. The plantations will also provide to the institutions the necessary raw materials for analysis and processing. In this way, the demonstration plots will serve
the professional training for the entire value chain from cultivating fruit and grapes to processing.
The growing demand for high quality fruit, grapes and wine, the geographical position of both institutions and the availability of financing through the intervention of the European Investment Bank make it necessary and also possible for the educational institutions to offer quality training.
The Technical Assistance to the EIB Fruit Garden of Moldova Project, implemented by AFC Agriculture and Finance Consultants, has provided all necessary technical consultancy to shape the investments and support all steps in the planning process.
