USAID AgBiz Program EU Customers Buy Value Added Table Grapes from Peca Komerc Success Story

One of the program's key beneficiaries is Peca Komerc, a fresh fruits marketer that received a $30,000 grant for a project titled "Establish a Modern Produce Packing Center." This project aimed to improve the quality and standardization of Peca Komerc's produce, enabling the company to successfully enter new markets. Peca Komerc's management has been actively participating in AgBiz's competitiveness enhancement activities, including B2B meetings, study tours, and workshops. These activities have provided the company with valuable knowledge and expertise in areas such as cooling and marketing of table grapes, new vine support systems, and root stock production techniques. A US horticulture expert also provided one-on-one consulting to Peca Komerc staff, offering recommendations on proper use of sulfur, temperature and humidity control, and energy-efficient post-harvest processes. As a result of AgBiz's support, Peca Komerc has expanded its market reach beyond the Balkans, finding new customers in France, Poland, and Holland. The company has implemented a new, fully equipped packing center, including digital intake scales, and has implemented good production and hygienic practices essential for exports. Peca Komerc has also implemented HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) to ensure the quality and safety of its produce. This expansion has enabled the company to increase its employment to 18 persons. The establishment of a modern produce packing center has enabled Peca Komerc to better preserve the original quality of its produce and achieve better prices. According to Mr. Blashko Temov, owner of Peca Komerc, the experiences gained through working closely with AgBiz have made the company more competitive in existing markets and have enabled it to successfully enter new markets. Macedonia's favorable agro-climatic conditions make it an ideal location for producing a wide diversity of high-quality fruits and vegetables. However, significant improvements in post-harvest handling of fresh produce are necessary for Macedonian fruit and vegetable exporters to be competitive. AgBiz's focus on improving the marketed quality of Macedonian fresh produce has enabled existing markets to be maintained and new markets in the EU to be developed.