Will Moldova manage to sell the remaining stocks of good quality apples by June 2021?

The answer might not be an easy one. In March this year, according to the Custom Service of the Republic of Moldova,  slightly more than 17 thousand tons of apples were exported from the country – this is less than half of the volume of supplies (almost 30 thousand tons) in the same month last year. In April 2020, the country sharply increased the exports of apples – more than 39 thousand tons, in May it was also high – almost 25 thousand tons, and in June fell to the off-season level – about 3 thousand tons. Apparently, local exporting traders still hope in repeating last year’s scenario, at least close to it. But will this be enough, given that, according to expert estimates, about 50-70 thousand tons of last year’s apples remained in the storages of producers and traders by mid-April 2021?

Earlier EastFruit reported that in 2021 the exports of apples from Moldova are far behind compared to last year : in January-February, about 28 thousand tons of apples were exported from the country (for the same period last year, the exports of these fruits amounted to 54 thousand tons).

However, there is still no excessive nervousness due to the slow export of apples among their producers and exporters. Perhaps the calming factor is a small, on average by $ 0.03-0.05 / kg, increase in mid-April for Moldovan apples of almost all varieties for exports. Moreover, apples have slightly risen in price, despite a slight increase in the Moldovan Leu exchange rate against the dollar, as well as for a delay in the arrival of early berries and vegetables on the market due to a cool spring, which would indirectly influence apple prices.

But, most likely, producers and traders remain calm for another reason. Fruit market operators assume that actual marketable stocks of export-grade quality apples are below the estimated level currently determined by experts from individual agricultural producers’ associations.