General Assembly of the "Herbafruct" Horticultural Micro-Cluster

On April 12, 2024, representatives from the Natural Resources Monitoring Division of the Environmental Agency attended the General Assembly of the "Herbafruct" Horticultural Micro-Cluster, which took place in the village of Micleușeni, Strășeni district.

The emerging "Herbafruct" micro-cluster brings together economic operators and local public authorities from the Nisporeni, Hâncești, Strășeni, and Ungheni districts. The economic operators within the cluster specialize in medicinal plant cultivation, wild harvesting of medicinal crops, raw material processing, nursery management for seedling production, and both domestic and international trade.

According to the cluster's development scenario, existing producers and collectors, as well as those interested in starting businesses in medicinal and aromatic plants, require guidance and consultation to foster association and cooperation with processors. As a result, cluster members receive support across the research, education, innovation, development, and trade sectors, with backing from public entities.

One of the key agenda topics for the event was to inform cluster members about the Swiss-UNDP "Resilient and Inclusive Markets in Moldova" project, specifically regarding the "Development" component, in preparation for investment interventions to utilize the second installment of the UNDP/PRIM project’s grant call.

To ensure the legal protection and use of plant resources, the representatives of the Environmental Agency engaged in discussions on the regulations governing the issuance of authorizations for individuals and businesses collecting plant resources. The agenda also included talks on agreements for the import and export of wild plants, permits/certificates for international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora (CITES), and the suspension, withdrawal, or extension of these permits' validity.