Farmer from south Moldova achieves three times higher harvest after installing high-performance irrigation system

Petru Mihov and his son Dumitru have been successfully developing a family farming business in the village of Burlacu, southern Cahul district, for more than two decades. The father and son grow over 130 varieties of grapes brought from all over the world and are known for the largest grape clusters in Moldova. The orchard owned by the Mihov family is equipped with its own weather station, and modern irrigation technologies provide a harvest at least three times greater.

The entrepreneur's farm spans about 2,000 hectares, where they grow fruit trees, eight types of field crops and vineyards.

Thanks to the government's assistance, the Mihov family managed to install a modern water pumping station and a high-performance irrigation system, which ensures a harvest at least three times higher compared to traditional methods and allows them to better cope with climate challenges, such as drought or early frosts.

The entrepreneurs have also constructed three accumulation lakes and the orchard is equipped with its own weather station that continuously monitors atmospheric conditions and pest risks, as well as soil moisture sensors for precise irrigation management. In total, the Mihov family has benefited from investments worth over 3 million lei from public funds.

In 2021, together with 15 producers from the Cahul district, they created the Table Grapes cluster and, through the EU4Moldova: Focal Regions programme, they received funding of 100,000 euros for modern equipment, training and exchange of experiences.

The business developed by the Mihov family today was visited by Prime Minister Dorin Recean, who said that the future of Moldovan agriculture lied in technologization. At the same time, the PM emphasized that the Mihov family proved that, with a lot of hard work and clear vision, Moldova can and has the potential to develop sustainable and smart agriculture.

"It is a pride to see how Moldovans innovate, invest and show us that the future of Moldovan agriculture is in technologization. The Mihov family demonstrates that, with a lot of hard work and clear vision, Moldova can and has the potential to develop sustainable and smart agriculture," Dorin Recean added.

Prime Minister Dorin Recean is visiting the Cahul district today.