In the first quarter of 2025 Moldova exported more than 4 thousand tons of grain sorghum. If the dynamics of supplies abroad of this commodity will continue, at the end of the year, the export volumes will be at least not lower than the average for the previous three years of about 11 thousand tons,” Logos Press reports.
Thanks to the subsidization of livestock farms on the principle of “a fixed amount for each kilogram of milk submitted for processing”, the supply of raw materials to Moldovan dairy factories from local farms has more than doubled,” Logos Press reports.
Only early varieties of walnut orchards, mostly of local selection, suffered to some extent from April frosts. The medium- and late-maturing walnut orchards of French and American selection, at first impression, were not affected,” Logos Press reports.
A two-week wave of April frosts destroyed more than 80 percent of sugar beet crops,” Logos Press reported.
At the end of the second week of April, the first imported potatoes of the 2025 harvest appeared in Moldovan retail stores,” Logos Press reports.
An abnormally long period of low average daily temperatures in April is not only a risk of early perennial and annual crops freezing, but also a very high risk of poor pollination,” according to Logos Press.
Economists around the world used to consider customs duties as a mechanism of total protection (“carpet bombing”) and long-term action. But stereotypes are changing. No sooner Moldovan exporters were frightened by the “adult” duty of 31% imposed by the USA on goods from Moldova, than President Trump announced a 90-day pause on their application. And a 10% tariff freeze for many countries around the world that have demonstrated loyalty. Including Moldova, according to the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Moldova. In this regard, some Moldovan exporters began to move away from the initial shock.
In March 2025, large-scale exports of sunflower from Moldova continued,” Logos Press reports.
Insurance companies have started to receive notifications from dozens of farmers about the damage caused by April frosts to insured farmlands. According to preliminary estimates, the total amount of potential reimbursements from the two largest companies alone will exceed 10 million lei. In total, five insurers are more or less active on the agricultural risk insurance market,” Logos Press reported.
The second spring frost wave (the first one occurred in the second decade of March) will affect to some extent almost all apricot orchards, about two-thirds of all peach orchards and at least one-third of cherry orchards. Plum trees may survive,” according to Logos Press.
The 31% duties imposed by the United States on goods from Moldova are already beginning to have a negative effect,” Logos Press reports. In particular, exporters of canned fruits and vegetables have already been offered to “share responsibility” for additional financial losses.
In March this year, only one Moldovan company purchased apples from refrigerated warehouses in quantities sufficient for launching apple concentrate production lines,” Logos Press reported.
Easter vacations are the first and most valuable “peak of sales” of early Moldovan strawberries. It is important to get into it, i.e. to be on time. This year local producers of this berry (greenhouse) will almost certainly have time to bring their goods to the client. The only problem is that it is unlikely to sell it dearly. Although…
Restrictions on the delivery and transit of cargo by Moldovan road carriers through the Russian Federation under any scenario is an alarming signal to Moldovan agricultural producers, but not fatal. It may have a serious impact on some segments of agribusiness, while for others it may pass almost unnoticed. A lot will depend on the practice of application/compliance with this decision of the Russian government.
Staff and members of the PIIPC Meat Processing Industry Patronage Council say wholesale pork prices for sausage and other meat product manufacturers have increased an average of 10-15% this week. For some of them, even more. So far, processors are mostly keeping prices for finished products at the pre-crisis level. Only for some positions of “pork assortment” they decided to raise the factory price tag by a few percent. However, everyone fears the worst.
In March, Moldova exported 18.6 thousand tons of apples worth a total of $13.6 million (average invoice price of almost $0.74/kg). This was reported by Moldova Fruct Association with reference to the Customs Service of the Republic of Moldova.
During the last two weeks in Moldova, the wholesale price of locally produced pork (half carcasses) has increased on average by 10-15%, – reports Logos Press.
In the nervous atmosphere created by the outbreaks of African swine fever on the largest pig farms in the Republic of Moldova, there is an impression of an emerging “conflict of interests” between pig farmers, meat processors, meat consumers and the authorities. The representatives of the Patronage of the Meat Processing Industry PÎIPC are sure that there is a compromise, it just needs to be accepted by all stakeholders.
The alleged slaughter due to African swine fever (ASF) of about 104,000 pigs at the two largest pig farms has created an existential conflict between pig farmers and meat producers in the Republic of Moldova. The patronage of the meat processing industry PIIPC asks the government for imports “not to impose customs duties on commodity item HS 0203 (pork fresh, chilled, frozen) in the period 2025-26”. It amounts to 20%+200 euro/t, but not more than 25% and 10%+200 euro/t, but not more than 15%). The Association of Pork Producers of the Republic of Moldova asks to leave everything as it is, “since there is no need to increase imports of pork, domestic producers are able to fill its potential deficit”.
Changes are coming in the list of priorities for EU agriculture and in the system of their financing. Agrarians and authorities of the Republic of Moldova, i.e. the “factors of influence and decision-making” of the EU candidate country, should at least be aware of them.
