The watermelon season is coming to an end in Moldova. Most likely, on the domestic market, its supply will remain until the end of this week or, at most, until the middle of the next, when, according to weather forecasts, it will become noticeably colder in the country. The current season in the segment will apparently be one of the longest in the last five years, along with the 2020 season (also a year of severe drought), writes EastFruit
At the moment, watermelons are sold only on the domestic market; active exports to neighboring Ukraine ended quite a long time ago – in mid-August. On the wholesale and retail markets of Moldova in October, only small batches of watermelon were sold from fields where harvesting was delayed. Basically, now growers offer medium-sized watermelon for pickling. There is little demand for this product. Firstly, because during this period of the year, the local consumer switches to fresh grapes of late varieties, as well as vegetables, including for home canning.
As a result, since the beginning of the month, the wholesale price for watermelon has decreased by almost 30%, to 4-4.5 MDL/kg ($0.21-23/kg). However, it is twice the price of watermelon in the same period last year, but slightly inferior to October 2020 prices. It is possible that if some very limited supply of local watermelon still remains for sale in November, and also moves from the markets to fruit and vegetable boutiques-kiosks, then the wholesale price will even increase slightly.
