Vladimir Ghiliov, Manager of AgroProfi and WeTrade, was interviewed by journalist Pavel Zingan in the Business line section, supported by maib.
Vladimir, hello. AgroProfi and WeTrade, the companies you manage, are directly related to agriculture. Tell us what the companies specialise in and what areas of agriculture you work in?
WeTrade is a company with 16 years of experience in the domestic market, dealing with selling seeds and fertilizers. AgroProfi has been active for 11 years in distributing premium agricultural equipment from global manufacturers. These include tractors, sprayers, seeders, cultivators, irrigation systems, precision farming equipment, and agricultural drones. We mainly work with USA and Western European equipment; our main partners are CASE IH, Väderstad, Maschio Gaspardo, Gregoire Besson, Claydon, and Bobcat. We also offer professional equipment maintenance, repair services, and spare parts. Our customers are professional agricultural producers who follow trends and are ready to invest in the best quality to achieve the desired results. WeTrade and AgroProfi offer various products and services to meet all farmers' needs.
What is your main objective?
We have defined and highlighted a clear objective. We are constantly working on - maximum benefit for farmers. We have three offices in Moldova - in Chișinău, Comrat and Balti, which makes us available to customers throughout the country, from south to north. The maximum distance from any customer to our representative office is 120 kilometres, which allows us to react quickly and provide customers with timely solutions.
Some people think that agriculture is one of the most conservative areas. Is this true?
There is this opinion, but I can't entirely agree because agriculture is developing actively and constantly progressing. We always follow the latest world trends and quickly bring them to the Republic of Moldova market.
Our group of companies is an innovator in the local market. For example, WeTrade was the first company to start bringing rapeseed, now one of the most popular crops, to Moldova.
We were the first to introduce technology that meets the requirements of minimum tillage. This allows the conservation of natural resources, the preservation of moisture in the soil, and, as a result, maximum return from land use.
Today, we continue implementing modern technologies such as Strip-Till, that is, „soil processing on strips”. A great emphasis is placed on the digitalisation of agriculture, such as telematics, which is the ability to control the technology working in the field remotely. We have also launched a new direction - agricultural drones, which allow the application of the necessary pesticides in locations where traditional spraying technology is practically impossible.
Speaking of innovations at WeTrade, how is the fertiliser, seed, and pesticide market evolving?
This market is also very dynamic, and we follow all the trends. Of course, one of the main trends is the demand for organic bio-farming. Our range has products that meet the strictest organic requirements for organic farming. However, even when we refer to traditional pesticides, the main principle is to minimise farmers' costs for agricultural production. The most expensive operation in agriculture is spraying, i.e. crop protection, so we strive to develop the most efficient solution in every respect for the convenience of our customers. We are now putting a lot of emphasis on the use of generics, products that are off-patent to the rights holders and whose formulation is accessible to all producers on the market, which significantly reduces the cost of the product while quality remains high.
How easily do farmers in Moldova adopt new technologies and integrate them into their work? We understand that it's not enough just to be able to buy modern equipment, it's also important to understand the need to follow trends...
Our experience proves that local agricultural producers are becoming more open to novelties and innovations annually. There are probably only a few left who need to be convinced of the need to use new technologies or fertilizers, mostly farmers fully understand that if they do not follow world trends, there is a high chance of bankruptcy. Our task and duty as distributors is to share as much of the international experience we are gaining from the most innovative producers worldwide as possible.
It is also worth mentioning the high willingness of farmers to cooperate, involving credit or other banking services. This is an essential moment for developing our business because agriculture requires significant investments and a quick reaction in times of crisis, and often the only solution is banking services. One example is the loan to top up working capital in a 0% maib partnership. When the farmer urgently needs funds for expenses such as the purchase of seeds, fertilisers, pesticides, etc., this credit becomes a lifeline.
In this case, the actual interest rate is 0%?
Yes, and this is one of the main advantages for farmers. Such a loan allows you to end the year without losses and achieve everything you planned. Farmers are also more active in taking out loans to purchase large equipment, understanding that such an investment will pay off.
