The Valac Family, a story of courage and perseverance in agriculture
When frosts threaten orchards and production costs rise, many farmers choose to give up. However, some decide to remain in the field, take risks, and build something sustainable. This is true for the Valac family from Codreanca in the Straseni district. After working in Greece for several years, they opted not to buy a house there but instead invested their earnings back home by creating an orchard filled with cherries, sour cherries, plums, and apricots. Today, the fruits of their labor are reaching markets in the European Union.
Ion Valac, a fruit grower, said, "We returned in 2003 with the desire to buy land and work in our native country. We purchased land, and in 2013, we planted 36 hectares of stone fruits, including sour cherries, apricots, and plums."
The 2025 agricultural year presented significant challenges for fruit growers. While the sour cherries and cherries in the Valac family orchard thrived, the apricots were unfortunately lost to frost. Ion said, "The year was very complicated, with frosts and other issues, but as you can see, God protected us—we have a very rich harvest of sour cherries."
With support from the state and his investments, Ion transformed his orchard into a profitable business. His wife, Maria, plays a vital role in organizing the work, training seasonal employees, and handling the primary processing of the fruits. Maria emphasized the importance of perseverance, saying, "We go to work; there is no other way out of the situation. We must manage the work and see it through to completion. We work for our children and for the future. Nowhere is better than at home."
The Valac daughters, Corina and Gabriela, decided to stay in Codreanca. They are planning to expand the family business. Gabriela explained, "Next to our parents' cold storage, we decided to create a space for the production of traditional pies. It is possible to do this at home. It is difficult, but not impossible." Corina added, "I will take care of preparing bakery products. I feel best in my country. I've travelled to several countries, it is also very good in our country."
The Valac family from Codreanca is not just a local success story; they serve as a model for change in the agricultural sector of our country. You can learn more about this family in the show "Land and People" on Moldova 1 at 2:00 PM.
