Moldova Fresh Grape insights

Key moments of the past week: — Top sellers: white cabbage and persimmon — Potato supply doubled, offers from the Baltic countries appeared — Tomato sales continue to grow — Number of grape sellers is growing, while apples are decreasing — Tomato and cucumber prices have risen sharply in Uzbekistan — Potato prices in Ukraine hit another record — Egyptian exporters have reduced prices for sweet potatoes and lemons These and other trends in the region's fruit and vegetable markets are covered in the weekly review of EastFruit trading platforms. Last week, participants from 11 countries again sold their products in the EastFruit Trade Platform trading group, while the total number of ads posted also remained at the level of the previous week. Representatives of Iran and Poland stepped up their trade. At the same time, sales from Egypt and Turkey decreased. Ads from Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan appeared again. After a long absence, participants from Lithuania and Latvia posted their offers. The top five

Moldovan products are increasingly in demand on the European Union market. In addition to the already established export of grapes, plums, apples, Moldovan farmers plan to expand the range of products supplied to the foreign market. In particular, garlic exports will begin this year, EastFruit reports. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry is confident that the export of agricultural products in 2023-2024 will have a positive impact on the country's economy, AgroExpert.md notes. "The volume of exported grapes in 2023 reached about 35 thousand tons, and the cost was $ 40 million. At the same time, the export of apples amounted to about 13 thousand tons worth $ 7 million, and the export of plums - more than 53 thousand tons worth over $ 31 million. We also exported about 250 thousand tons of sunflower oil, compared to 91 thousand tons in 2021," said the Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Vladimir Bolea. He also noted that in 2024, Moldova will export 99 tons of grain for the first time.

Over the past three years, Moldovan farmers have continued to invest in modernization and development of production. This work is carried out with the support of state subsidy programs, EastFruit reports. "Agriculture is farmers. Despite all the difficulties, our farmers have invested in modern equipment - 13,450 units, including 480 machines for zero and minimum tillage," said Vladimir Bolea, Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry of the Republic of Moldova. In addition to modern equipment, farmers have also invested in irrigation, installing 230 systems on an area of about 7,000 hectares, Noi.md reports. In addition, perennial plantations were created on 5,800 hectares, including 4,187 hectares of orchards, 1,528 hectares of vineyards and 133 hectares of fruit bushes. Read also: New viticulture support program to start in Moldova from 2025 Farmers also invested in infrastructure, upgrading 270 refrigeration units with a total capacity of 80,000 tons of fruit. “This is