LocationsBerry Cluster from Ungheni conquers the European market
April 3, 2025
Zinaida Plămădeală
Five agricultural producers from the Ungheni region have managed to turn their passion for strawberry production into a thriving business, known all over the country. They are entrepreneur Zinaida Plămădeală, founder of the "Berries Group", and four other strawberry producers from the region. Together, they have created a strawberry cluster, which is an innovative model of collaboration between farmers specializing in strawberries and planting material, aimed at improving production efficiency, accessing modern technologies for the business and facilitating access to the European market.
"Clustering is a platform for efficient cooperation and creation of partnerships within value chains, and this tool is necessary and opportune for the development of the strawberry sector in Ungheni district, but also for the whole country," emphasizes Zinaida Plămădeală.
Ungheni - the place for growing the best strawberries in Moldova
Strawberries are grown in the villages of Sculeni and Petrești, where the soil is fertile and the climate favorable. Every year, entrepreneurs manage 40-50 ha of land that yields more than 1,200 tons of strawberries each season.
The Ungheni region is rich in generous natural resources, such as plenty of water for irrigation, an important advantage for farmers who have always grown berries here. In addition, its proximity to Romania, the European Union, provides a large export market for local products.
European investment in local development
The "EU4Moldova: Focal Regions" programme, funded by the European Union and implemented by UNDP and UNICEF provides financial support to strengthen local value chains.
Ungheni-based sugar confectionery cluster received financial assistance worth €100,000 in 2022, money that was invested in essential infrastructure for preserving fruit quality: pre-cooling chambers, cold storage and fruit drying facilities.
In 2023, the business benefited from the installation of a 100kW photovoltaic power plant, a complex installation that had a direct impact on electricity bills. Energy consumption was significantly reduced.
The “EU4Moldova: Focal Regions" programme invested in technical assistance to entrepreneurs. They have benefited from business training and advice based on the clustering model. Important for business expansion was the participation of the entrepreneurs in various fairs and exhibitions, which provided them with opportunities to collaborate with other business people.
