One of the most modern free-range cattle farms in northern Moldova thrives
In the north of the Republic of Moldova, one of the most modern free-range cattle farms is thriving. It’s the business of a young Dutchman, marrying a Bessarabian woman. He started his business 10 years ago, in Edinet district, after searching for a long time in Europe for a suitable place for his farm. Currently, it has 500 cattle that produce around 135 tons of milk per month and enjoys business opportunities that it has discovered in the Republic of Moldova.
JIM BOET, farmer: “If you want bigger lands, with a possibility of development, but with a smaller budget, come with me to Moldova, and that’s how I got to Moldova. There was rubbish everywhere, we collected all the rubbish, we made a project and we got to where we are. ”
Like any farmer, Jim faced challenges in running his business, especially in the beginning. One of these was the inadequacy of the workforce. However, the man decided to solve it using advanced technologies. To monitor the animals remotely, he mounted their ear tags with sensors, which provide electronic marking tags attached to the ears of cattle.
JIM BOET, farmer: “We made an investment. I made cow manager cows, sensors. It’s an expensive investment, but it’s worth it. This sensor shows how it will eat, how it will chew, how the animal will be, whether the cow is warm or not, if something happened to the cow or not and if it will feel good, it will show that it is fine. If she does not feel well, she will not give milk. ”
The Covid-19 pandemic and the economic crisis have left their mark on his business. Fuels and fodder have become more expensive, and he has to spend about one million lei a month on farm maintenance. But he says that he is doing well, even if it is more difficult to develop a business in the Republic of Moldova than in the countries of the European Union.
JIM BOET, farmer: “Of course there is a lot of bureaucracy here, I haven’t gone through that. At first there was corruption, it is slowly shrinking, and it is starting to get easier. It’s good where we’re not. If you have knowledge, desire, then you can succeed wherever you want. ”
Jim Boet is helped by his wife, with whom he shares the responsibilities to make them all successful.
ANA PANCRAT, farmer: “It is both good and bad and interesting and hyper-interesting. We formed together to generate ideas, and other possibilities to realize these ideas. That’s why everything is so interesting for us, both as a couple and on the farm. I’m looking for finances, I’m looking for suppliers, I’m looking for opportunities for ideas to be realized, that’s why it’s not good to work together. “
Of the more than 500 cows on Jim Boet’s farm, about 80 are brought from the Netherlands, most of them Holstein. Farmers focus on milk production, which they sell to suppliers in Edinet district at a price of 7 lei and 60 bani for a liter.