VIDEO // Shepherds' family of Moldova sets national record with 30.7-kilogram cheese

A traditional 30.7-kilogram cheese, made by a family of producers from Moldova, today set a national record during the Great Cheese event, organized at the Moldexpo International Exhibition Centre. After being officially weighed and certified, the product was lifted into the air with the help of a high-capacity agricultural drone, in a demonstration that brought together gastronomic traditions and modern agricultural technologies.

The event took place as part of the specialized international exhibitions Moldagrotech and Farmer, dedicated to agricultural technologies and producers in the sector. The organizers proposed a combination of promoting traditional products and presenting technological solutions that can contribute to making agricultural activities more efficient.





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Moldexpo General Director Zinaida Popa said that the initiative had stemmed from the desire to highlight both the work of farmers and the traditions that are part of the gastronomic culture of Moldova.

“As we celebrate agriculture and farmers for four days during the Moldagrotech and Farmer exhibitions, we ruled to also celebrate the people who work. When we talk about cheese, our first thought takes us back to our mother’s home. Cheese is a traditional gastronomic element in our country,” Zinaida Popa said.

According to her, the organizers wanted to associate this symbol of tradition with the technologies that are transforming contemporary agriculture.

“We decided to combine these two aspects: tradition, what represents each of us and takes us back home, to hardworking people and our childhood, and, on the other hand, technology, without which we cannot evolve or achieve efficiency in agriculture today,” the Moldexpo director noted.

The record-setting cheese was produced by La Doina and Mihai LLC, a family business operating under the Mioara Sudului (Sheep of the South) brand. The family has more than 20 years of experience in sheep farming and dairy production, manages a farm with over 1,000 sheep, and continues the tradition of raising sheep and making cheese passed down from generation to generation.

A representative of the company, Domnica Capatina, said that preparing the product was a challenge, particularly because the traditional process of making cheese curd had to be adapted to its unusual size. In the days before the event, the producers were not certain whether they would manage to reach the weight required to establish the record.

“It is not the first time we have made cheese, although it was a challenge to change the way we make the curd. We were quite pleased, because during the last few days we were under a lot of pressure: would it reach the required weight to set the record or not?” Domnica Capatina said.

Approximately 150 liters of milk were used to make the cheese. The product was prepared on October 13, three days before the event, and left to drain, so that it would retain its shape until the official weighing.

The company representative emphasized that taking part in the event meant more than simply making an oversized product.

“We manage a farm with more than 1,000 sheep. We are a family that preserves authentic traditions and produces cheese according to traditional recipes. We come from a family of shepherds, from father to son. Today, we will not weigh only a large cheese; we will highlight our daily work, our passion for what we do and our respect for our traditions,” Domnica Capatina said.

The producers took part in the national Great Cheese competition for the first time, while the organizers invited visitors to taste the products and discover the offerings of local producers.

The cheese’s weight was verified during the ceremony by Iulia Panzari, representative of the National Records Agency of Moldova. After the weighing, she confirmed that a national record had been set and announced the registration of the achievement.

“I confirm that this is the largest cheese in Moldova’s history. Today we are registering a new record and opening a new page on the Moldova Records website: Moldova’s largest cheese – 30.7 kilograms,” Iulia Panzari said.

The producers were presented with a certificate and a medal attesting to the record. The organizers’ representatives congratulated the family for its efforts and for preserving traditional cheese-making methods.

The event also included a component dedicated to the public. A tasting and competition were organized in the central pavilion of the exhibition complex, with 11 local cheese producers taking part. Visitors were able to taste the products and vote for their favorites.

Sergiu Vesca, executive director of the National Farmers’ Federation of Moldova, said that the event aimed to highlight local producers’ ability to capitalize on traditions and present their products to the public.

“Who says that farmers cannot make a big cheese? Today, we are trying to prove that they can. There will also be a tasting in the central pavilion. There are 11 cheese producers who will make their products available for you to taste and appreciate, and even vote for. We have ballots—not for the presidency, but for the producer with the biggest and tastiest cheese,” Sergiu Vesca said.

He also drew attention to the difficulties associated with sheep’s milk production at the end of the season, when the amount got decreases.

“Not everyone can have cheese on October 16, because it is the end of the season and we did not have much milk. From autumn onward, sheep produce less and less. But this proves that, if we want something badly enough, anything is possible, especially at Moldexpo,” the executive director of the National Farmers’ Federation said.

After the record was certified, the cheese was lifted into the air with the help of a DJI T100 agricultural drone operated by the technical team of Drone Assistance. The model is meant for agricultural tasks and can carry loads of up to 100 kilograms. It is also used for such activities as spraying crops or spreading seeds and fertilizers.

Vitalie Sacara, founder and administrator of Drone Assistance, said that this equipment can be used not only for agricultural treatments, but also for transporting materials to areas that are difficult for conventional machinery to access.

“The mission of our company and DJI is for drones to help people live better. That is why, we are presenting a line of agricultural drones that can be used for spraying plants, sowing and spreading fertilizers,” Vitalie Sacara said.

According to him, the model presented at the event allows its operating systems to be changed depending on the required task.

“This modular system allows for crop spraying and the spreading of seeds or fertilizers, as well as the transportation of materials or harvested crops from hard-to-reach places, such as vineyards on slopes, where wheeled machinery cannot reach. The drone can help transport materials from these areas closer to the collection point,” the company’s administrator explained.

The demonstration at Moldexpo thus illustrated one possible use of drones in agricultural activities, from applying treatments to crops to transporting loads across difficult terrain.

The MOLDAGROTECH and FARMER exhibitions are staged at the Chisinau-based Moldexpo International Exhibition Centre on October 15-18.