From mid-December to the present moment in Moldova, the average wholesale price for inshell almonds dropped by 5 MDL/kg to 170 MDL/kg ($9.71/kg). However, the price is still slightly higher than the December level last year (160 MDL/kg, $9.2/kg).
At first glance, the situation seems strange considering that prices for all other nuts, especially walnuts, have been growing for more than a month and almost reached record levels. However, according to the UAPCN, the Union of Association of Walnut Crops of Moldova, several important factors should be taken into account when assessing the situation in the local almond market.
The first is the downward dynamics of almond production in the country. Due to the spring frosts of the last few years, removing old almond orchards has accelerated. This year, according to expert estimates, the area of fruiting almond orchards in the country has dropped below 1,000 hectares. The harvest of export-quality almonds is unlikely to exceed 500-600 tonnes (weight of fruits in shell).
The second factor is the increasing differentiation in the almond segment of the nut industry: no more than a dozen relatively large farms work are exporting and up to hundreds of small producers supply the domestic market. The bulk of the almonds are exported under a few contracts to Italy, Spain and Turkey (while walnuts from Moldova are supplied mainly to Germany, Netherlands Austria and France). Competition between the exporters for almonds in the domestic market of Moldova is low.
The third factor is the relatively low demand for almond kernels from Moldovan consumers. Accordingly, in December, small wholesale lots of almond kernels could be purchased at a price significantly lower than the average level – 140-145 MDL/kg ($ 8-8.3/kg).
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