Scoping study, training and matchmaking services (2025-2026)

On behalf of HollandDoor, Jos Leeters is involved in various parallel projects in Moldova. One of these is a scoping study commissioned by the Dutch government, through the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Moldova. This study identified the challenges and needs of the Moldovan fruit and vegetable sector, while also pinpointing opportunities for sector development and potential collaboration with Dutch stakeholders. Following this study, Jos Leeters is involved in forming a consortium of Dutch and Moldovan companies that jointly aim to develop the Moldovan horticultural market.

Another project is a customized technical training program for the vegetable sector, commissioned by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Together with experts from HollandDoor, Jos Leeters organized a training program in Moldova and a study trip to the Netherlands for Moldovan vegetable farmers, with the aim of modernizing their cultivation and postharvest practices.

Both projects share the overarching goal of enhancing the competitiveness of the Moldovan fruit and vegetable sector. Moldova boasts a rich horticultural heritage but remains a relatively small player in the global fruit trade. With its increasing alignment with the European Union, Moldova is presented with new opportunities for business growth and collaboration. However, the potential for further growth in the horticultural sector is constrained by several factors, including inefficiency and limited scale, outdated cultivation and postharvest technologies, inadequate measures to mitigate climate change risks, and weak marketing power and visibility in European markets. The Netherlands, alongside other European countries and Japan, possess the expertise, advanced technologies, and networks necessary to support Moldova in improving the productivity and quality of its horticultural sector.