With Record Production, Moldova Plum Farmers Hail EU Integration

In 2023, Moldova -- whose fruit industry used to depend on Russia -- became the number one plum exporter to the European Union (Credit: AFP)

In a warehouse north of Moldova's capital, farmer Stefan Bitlan inspects boxes of plums soon heading to Germany as he has turned to exporting to the EU rather than Russia.

"There are a lot of challenges, but, yes, we chose the European Union," said the 35-year-old, one of the largest plum exporters in the country of 2.6 million that lies wedged between war-torn Ukraine and EU member Romania.