The first commercial batch of apples for export to India was shipped from the sorting and packing hub of Darurile Basarabiei SRL (Bilicenii Vechi village, Straseni district). The exporter is the company Fruct Grup SRL, which in previous years carried out test shipments of Moldovan apples to India.
The goods – apples of the red variety Red Chief, caliber 65+ (mm), packaging – branded cardboard boxes with a capacity of 13-14 kg (it is assumed that later the apples will be sent to the Indian market also in other containers – type “bushel”). The batch of apples will first arrive at the port of Turkish Istanbul, then to the final destination – the Indian port of Mumbai. The estimated travel time is 30-60 days.
According to the exporter, the purchase price of apples for the first commercial export to India is about the same as for export of apples of highly liquid varieties to the European Union – about 13-14 lei/kg. By and large, the export of apples of the 2024 crop to the Indian market, even in the standard (not test) mode, is still a “trial run”: working out logistics processes, developing connections and experience in preparing goods for long transportation. A more meaningful, planned and, possibly, large-scale export of Moldovan apples to India will begin already in the new season – that is, in the fall of this year.
