Berry production could boost rural development in Moldova

Currants, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries. Eye-catching and delicious, these and other berries could be a key to greater prosperity for rural areas of Moldova.

“Berries of Moldova” – a national conference taking place in Chisinau tomorrow – is organized with technical support from FAO. The event will bring together donors, international experts, local groups and Moldovan farmers. Some 150 participants are expected to attend.

Now in its second edition, the conference is unique in Moldova, according to Business Advisory Center which is organizing the event. The aim is to help farmers understand trends on the international market, as well as the outlook and potential of Moldova’s berry sector. They will also learn from the experiences of other countries and explore possible sources of support.

FAO expert Ferenc Denes will present international experience in blueberry production and potential FAO support in developing the sector.

Technical support the conference is part of a larger FAO project in Moldova aimed at boosting rural development through technical support, capacity development and knowledge dissemination.

Production of berries is now one of the fast-growing sectors in Moldova. In 2013 only 800 hectares of land were used for growing berries. By 2016, the area cultivated with berries had reached 3,000 hectares. Over the same period of time, production of berries quintupled.

26 April 2017, Chisinau, Moldova