Moldovan farmers have good use for Dutch tractors

19-03-2014 Odaischii Igor (39 years old) and son Valeriu (19 years old) live in Ucrainca village in Moldova. Odaischii Igor started his agricultural business in 2009 after investing money earned abroad. He started with 3 ha of own land where he cultivated potatoes. Now he has leased another 5 hectares where he cultivates cereals for feeding the animals. And two years ago with his son and four young farmers he set up a mini farm of milking cows (3 at the beginning) and some cattle for meat. In an interview, he gives us the details of his story - and makes a proposal to his Dutch colleagues.

 “I’ve started this business after I returned from Russia. I decided to invest here and to offer possibilities to my son and his friends, taking into account the fact that in villages is totally impossible to find a job. At the beginning I planted potatoes and two years ago I wanted to get into animal breeding,  especially dairy and meat cows. I got some knowledge by myself and from the farmer’s organization – National Farmers Federation of Moldova - of which  I became member in 2010.

We now have 20 milking cows and 7 calves. I found some markets and also by support of NFFM regional staff I got a contract for delivery the milk to a processing company near Chisinau, which at least secures the realization of my milk, and we also also have some delivery to Tiraspol company for processing milk in Transnistria. We are also based on production of ecological meat, I know it is complicated with this standardization but at least I try to not use chemicals in fodder of animals.

I became member of the NFFM Producer Group in animal breeding in Causeni. Here we have the possibility to learn from experts and from each other, and to purchase inputs together. For the future I think that with support of NFFM we can register legally this PG to have better access to markets being together. So, I’m happy to be a member! I pay my membership fee of 100 MDL (5 Euro) also for my son. We participate in many activities organized by NFFM – exhibitions, fairs etc. We were helped to find alternative markets for milk and meat.

In general we have many plans for developing the farm.  I agree that access to markets and finances are most important problem of farmers, but for me, it is the lack of technology and equipment that make it hard to increase productivity. Right now I have an old tractor and some old equipment and I cannot develop my business. So I would like to propose to Agriterra or other partners of NFFM to explore the possibilities to accord to our farmers old Dutch machinery and equipment which is anyway much better than in Moldova. That would really help us!”