Prime Minister Vasile Tofan met in Costești with local entrepreneurs from the agriculture, food processing, and manufacturing sectors. The discussion focused on what helps businesses grow, the obstacles they face, and solutions through which the state can better support investment and exports, TRIBUNA reports.

Costești has approximately 8,500 residents, more than some district centers, while companies based here generate a turnover of nearly 900 million lei, accounting for about a quarter of the turnover of all companies in Ialoveni District. Nearly 40% of the Republic of Moldova’s honey exports originate in Costești, while the region is home to nearly 1,000 table grape producers. A significant share of investment in Costești also comes from the diaspora, demonstrating how strong the connection remains between people who have left and their hometown. Costești was also among the first villages in the Republic of Moldova to issue municipal bonds, which were purchased by diaspora members as well. This is a good example of how innovative financial instruments can mobilize people’s savings and transform them into investments for community development.

“I really like the entrepreneurial spirit you can feel here. In a way, Costești is a village with the muscles of a town. People produce, invest, export, and constantly look for ways to do things better. It is one of the communities that makes me optimistic about the future of Moldova’s villages. And the fact that people from the diaspora continue to invest here shows how strong their connection remains with their hometown,” said Prime Minister Vasile Tofan.

During discussions with grape, fruit, and honey producers and exporters, as well as entrepreneurs from the industrial sector, a number of concrete issues were addressed. These included the development of irrigation systems in the central part of the country, investments in modern technologies, and the expansion of fruit sorting, grading, packaging, and storage capacities.

Representatives of the beekeeping sector spoke about the tax framework and measures that could contribute to the industry’s development and competitiveness. Farmers also discussed the need for clearer and more predictable subsidy mechanisms so that investments can be planned over the medium and long term.

The Prime Minister emphasized that the Government will focus on removing bottlenecks and making structural investments that increase productivity and added value: “We need to invest in the things that enable our entrepreneurs to grow faster: irrigation, technological modernization, post-harvest infrastructure, processing, and better access to markets. Costești shows how much a community can achieve when there is initiative, hard work, and an entrepreneurial spirit. Our role is to help such communities reach their full potential.”