Carmina Vicol
As Carmina Vicol, co-founder of the family agribusiness Monicol, told the conference of the Association of Women Entrepreneurs of Moldova, it is niche, premium and organic products that can provide access to new markets.
“First of all, these should be products that are more specific and in demand – niche products. But not only the product itself is important, but also its presentation: we have to package it, give it value. If we can find this formula of added value and sell our products as premium, as ecological, as various mixes or processed products that are in demand and niche – because we cannot enter the broad market, we do not have enough raw materials – then it is in the niche segment, as a premium product with a special value, that we really have a future,” Vikol said.
According to Karmina Vikol, organic farming remains particularly promising.
“To produce an organic product, you can’t use chemicals, and therefore the productivity is lower. Yes, the product is more expensive, but it opens up access to new markets. You don’t go to a market where conventional products are sold and where everyone is pushing for one cent,” Vikol noted.
Europe, she said, is willing to pay more for quality: “The EU is very open to organic products, especially Switzerland, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Belgium and also the UK. These countries are really willing to pay for quality products, and such goods are sorely lacking on the market. If we had the raw materials, we could double or even triple our sales.”
She also noted that agriculture should go hand in hand with the processing industry: “Moldova has always been perceived as a source of raw materials. But money is not made there. Money is earned where you come out with the final product,” the businesswoman emphasized.
Therefore, according to Carmina Vicol, it is important to invest in technologies and equipment in order to achieve competitiveness, including in terms of price.
