The company Biyaz Salkim has been working in agriculture since 2007, in fruit growing since 2011. The company manages about 100 ha of orchards and vineyards in ATU Gagauzia. In recent years, the management of the farm has been persistently converting classical plantations into high-tech intensive ones, in particular – forming vineyards according to the “pergola” type, tells the story of its adherent from the south of the country Association “Moldova Fruct”.
“If you want stable and high quality, you must invest in modern technology, organization and post-harvest processing. And this is the only way to become a competitive player on foreign markets,” says Vera Iabanji.
A key element of the company’s development was GLOBALG.A.P. certification, which the businesswoman considers a workable commercial tool and not just a formality. The experience gained has helped farmers understand export requirements. Vera Iabanji shares the acquired knowledge with a group of table grape producers from Gagauzia, encouraging them to cooperate, standardize working methods and quality of goods. The process includes workshops, consultations and trainings.
In 2025, Vera Iabanji was among the exporters who assisted small and medium-sized producers in the GLOBALG.A.P. certification process within the program implemented by the Association of Fruit Producers of Moldova with the support of Switzerland and Helvetas Moldova within the OPTIM project.
From the “mutual support group” involved in the project, four companies have carried out the full cycle of training and certification according to GLOBALG.A.P. But, as they emphasize in “Moldova Fruct”, the bonus is not only the presence of the certificate, which opens access to European trade networks, but the change of mentality and culture of production. The process of reaching the level necessary for successful certification according to the international standard of safety and quality changes the status of the producer: it becomes visible to traders and retailers.
In parallel with quality management, Biyaz Salkim has been developing its storage and packaging infrastructure, adapting to the requirements of modern trade. According to Vera Yabanja, as soon as a producer enters the “export zone”, the level of responsibility and complexity of doing business increases significantly. However, profits also increase.
