Automated line of sorting, packing stone fruits launched in central Moldova district

Chisinau, 11 September /MOLDPRES/ - The first advanced line for sorting and packing of plums, apricots and peaches has been launched with the help of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) at the PDG Fruct Ltd company from the Niscani village, central Calarasi district. The line provides the sorting of fruits, depending on their size and colour, removing the fruits with defects.   
Due to the new equipment, the company will ensure a high quality at the delivery and will minimize the risks of reception of pretensions as regards the quality. To meet the needs of the market and give value added to the fruits which so far have been purchased in bulk from Moldova and subsequently re-packed and sold on such markets as France, Belgium, Switzerland, Sweden, the company invested into an automated line of packing fruits in light casseroles or cardboard boxes.   
The setting of the equipment a allowed creating over ten jobs and PDG Fruct  optimized its working process through the increase in the speed of sorting and packing. The effort of the staff employed was reduced and has now only the role of line’s supervisors.  
Once the new technology launched, the PDG Fruct Company will become a regional hub, providing the producers and exporters from the region services of sorting and packing for their own products. The fully automated line of sorting and packing, the most advanced one from Moldova, cost about 850,000 dollars, of which 56,000 dollars represents the support provided by USAID through the Rural Competitiveness and Resilience Activity in Moldova Project.
In the last five years, Moldova has managed to significantly diversify the export markets for fruits. In 2023, the country consolidated its position among the world leaders in plums, getting on the third position with 78,000 tons sold against over 44 million dollars. In 2024, Moldova managed to reregister a historical record in terms of the volume of apricots exported – 13,000 tons.