LocationsWith the support of the EU and UNDP Moldova, a quail farm is being developed in the south of the country
November 17, 2023
Fiodor and Alexandra Stefoglo, from the village of Găvănoasa in Cahul district, set up a quail farm in the midst of the pandemic in 2020. The idea for this business was an old one that came to fruition thanks to a 4,000 euro grant from the “EU4Moldova: Focal Regions” Programme, funded by the EU and implemented by UNDP and UNICEF.
With the help of European investment, the Stefoglo couple built a room in the courtyard of their house, where they created all the conditions for raising quail chicks. At the same time, they purchased the equipment and technologies needed to launch the business.
“We purchased ten cages for two thousand quails, a power generator, an incubator for 1,200 eggs, air conditioners, germicidal lamps, a grain crusher, a refrigerator, a feather plucker, a ventilation system, smoke detectors and fire extinguishers. Thanks to this EU grant, we were able to turn our dream into a profitable business,” says Alexandra Stefoglo enthusiastically.
“Quail raised in Găvănoasa are sold all over the country”
Alexandra and Fiodor are the only ones in their region to open a quail farm. They had no education in animal husbandry, so they had to learn everything on the go to get their business up and running. Alexandra is a 53-year-old technology teacher at the local secondary school, while her husband Fiodor is retired and devotes all his free time to quails.
In the beginning, the Stefoglo couple opened a small farm for 150 quails. Gradually, the business grew, and now, with the help of a modern hatchery, they manage to raise almost 1,000 quails every month. Half of them are sold in several villages of the Cahul district, as well as all over the country.
Quail chicks are raised in environmentally friendly conditions and are fed on corn, wheat, barley and soybeans without any other harmful food additives.
“Starting a quail farm doesn't require a large investment. The main thing is to have the desire to see the business through to the end, and the income will not be long in coming. Our consumers love quail meat. We have sales coming in all the time and we are thinking about expanding the business,” says Alexandra.
Quail eggs are also popular and are nutritionally superior to chicken eggs.
“We produce over 3,000 fresh quail eggs every week. We sell them to order, on social media, to restaurant owners – they're in high demand right now. Quail eggs are very good for health. They improve memory, especially in the elderly, so people come and buy them,” Alexandra explains.
In promoting the business on social media, the Stefoglo couple is helped by their daughter Cristina, who also delivers orders to customers and does bookkeeping.
“We deliver fresh quail meat weekly throughout the Cahul district and beyond. Those wishing to purchase our products can find us on social media and call us to place an order,” says Cristina.
The Stefoglos want to purchase an electric smokehouse in the near future to delight their customers with a new product.
“We have a lot of requests to produce smoked meat as well, which is something we want and hope to achieve in the near future,” Alexandra says hopefully.
