April 2025 proved to be a significant challenge for Moldovan raspberry producers. According to experts from EastFruit, two waves of spring frosts caused substantial damage to berry plantations, particularly in the northern regions of the country.
“We have been in this business since 2014, and, at least in our experience, this year may be the worst since then,” says Yulia Tymoshenko, head of the frozen fruit production project at Tiferet, Moldova.
“It is estimated that 45–50% of summer raspberry varieties were lost to frost, roughly half of the crop. In Moldova, we primarily grow summer raspberries, with almost no autumn varieties like those in Ukraine. As a result, we anticipate significant challenges in procuring raw materials for freezing in the current season,” Yulia Tymoshenko explains.
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Experts also note that a wet spring increased the risk of fungal diseases, such as gray mold (Botrytis cinerea), which could further reduce yields on already weak plantations. The reduced supply on the market may lead to a rise in raspberry prices in 2025, particularly during the summer period. According to EastFruit, given the reduced supply from Moldova and potential harvest losses in Serbia, Ukraine could become the world’s leading exporter of raspberries in the 2025/26 season. For a full raspberry price forecast in the 2025/26 season see this article from EastFruit.
Interestingly, despite the significant raspberry harvest losses in Moldova, freezing companies from Serbia and Poland are actively seeking opportunities to purchase raspberries from the country, likely indicating even more substantial harvest losses in their own regions. This is further supported by preliminary market participant estimates.
Producers of raspberries and other berry crops of Moldova are hoping for favorable weather conditions for the remainder of the season and for government support to compensate for the losses incurred.
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