GAIA Investment installs automated cherry packing in Moldova

MOLDOVA – GAIA Investment has launched a new automated cherry sorting and packing line at its regional hub, marking the country’s first large-scale, modern line designed to assist Moldovan cherry producers in scaling their operations internationally, as per the Moldova Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry.

This advanced line, available to more than ten producers, features automation for sorting cherries by size, color, and caliber while detecting and eliminating fruit with internal defects.

Additionally, it includes a hydrocooler, which cools the harvested fruit to maintain higher quality levels and extend shelf life.

GAIA Investment has invested over US$1 million in the line, with US$55,000 from the US Agency for International Development via the Rural Competitiveness and Resilience project.

Over the past five years, the area of cherry orchards in Moldova has expanded from 3,600 to 4,300 hectares.

Last year, the country’s producers exported over 16,000 tonnes of cherries, valued at over US$22 million, reaching new EU markets, including Spain, Italy, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

Moldova’s Deputy Prime Minister and Agriculture and Food Industry Minister Vladimir Bolea, quoted by MOLDPRES, said, “We are already registering successes in diversifying export markets for fruit.

“It is important to make further progress, but this requires everyone’s involvement and investment. Changes have been included in the new subsidy measures to make the subsidies more attractive and to encourage fruit growers to use high-performance varieties and innovative technologies, to form associations, and to adjust production to EU standards.”

Meanwhile, in 2022, DanRoots and Newtec collaborated on accurate and efficient weighing and packing of a new organic snack carrot variant.

Focusing on establishing long-lasting trust with customers globally, Newtec helps manufacturers optimize production through easy-to-use and durable weighing, sorting, and packing equipment that offers product sustainability, minimizes giveaways, and converts produce into highly competitive high-end products.

An interesting case study is Newtec’s cooperation with DanRoots, a family-run company with a domestic and international vegetable production presence.

Their products include carrots, beetroot, parsnips, and parsley roots. As one of Denmark’s largest root vegetable growers, DanRoots supplies their products to a variety of leading Danish supermarkets and across Europe.

To optimize production sustainably, DanRoots selected Newtec’s weighing and packing solution for their snack carrots in 500g and 200g bags, a new organic variant on the market with 100% recyclable packaging.

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