As the Association of Berry Producers Pomușoarele Moldovei noted for Logos Press, even at such a relatively high price, the entire batch of the first berries was sold out without a trace. By the end of the first decade of May, several more greenhouse farms are planning to enter the Moldovan fruit market with their products. The offer price, according to the forecast at the moment, will be in the range of 150-200 lei/kg, depending on the size of berries.
Local strawberries from open fields will appear on sale due to the relatively cool (though sunny) spring later than usual – tentatively on May 25-30. Probably, the distance between the start and the peak of sales of ground strawberries will be short. The starting price announced by representatives of large berry clusters in Moldova, in principle, is relatively small – 40-50 lei/kg. It is difficult to judge about its evolution, as well as the potential size of the crop-2026.
Pomușoarele Moldovei only notes that this year, large strawberry producers have expanded their berry fields. In total, according to preliminary estimates, berries in Moldova are grown on an area of more than 4 thousand hectares, of which at least half is under strawberry plantations.
Meanwhile, on the eve of Easter week, some supermarket chains in Chisinau offered imported (Greek) strawberries at a discount below 90 lei/kg. This week, within the framework of promotions, some stores in the capital sold outwardly perfect strawberries at a price below 80 lei/kg.
It can be assumed that by the end of May, the price will decrease further, so that consumers oriented to early strawberries will have time to “satisfy their primary interest at a low price”.
In such a situation, it will be difficult for Moldovan berry producers to get a high price increase – “for quality and food patriotism”.
Paradox at the start
According to the industry association, this year a paradoxical situation has developed in the strawberry segment. Taking seriously the forecast of spring frosts, a significant number of ground strawberry producers covered their fields with agril. But as a result of two waves of frosts, in some berry regions – up to minus 5 degrees Celsius – it was the covered strawberry plantations that froze to a greater extent.
Specialists explain this by the fact that under the agril plants developed faster, and before the frosts had time to give inflorescences, which subsequently suffered. Open berry plants were also affected, but to a lesser extent, as they were at an earlier stage of development.
Nevertheless, at the moment, the damage to the Moldovan berry industry from spring frosts is still disproportionately lower than last year.
In Ukraine – also losses
Imported garden strawberries already at the beginning of the season had a significant impact on the Ukrainian market, reducing prices and forcing local producers to revise their expectations. Deliveries from Greece set a lower price bar, forcing Ukrainian farmers to enter the market with cheaper products, writes EastFruit with reference to AgroTimes.
In late March – early April, retail prices for garden strawberries quickly dropped to about UAH 200/kg, which, in turn, lowered purchase prices to about UAH 150/kg and below. As a result, the usual start of the season for Ukrainian greenhouse strawberries at the level of 180-200 UAH/kg is no longer relevant this year.
According to Ksenia Guseva, an expert of fruit and vegetable market of IA “APK-Inform”, because of weather conditions, most producers are only planning to come out with greenhouse berries in May. At the same time, the volumes of greenhouse production remain limited, and official statistics on berries is practically absent.
The situation on the open ground market largely depends on weather factors: mass deliveries are expected not earlier than mid-June. At the same time, imported products, which are often inferior in terms of taste, are already forming price points and are likely to keep pressure on the market at least until the end of June – similar to last year.
As Ksenia Guseva notes, last year imports dominated until the end of June, when significant volumes of Ukrainian berries appeared on the market.
According to her estimates, further price dynamics will largely depend on weather conditions: even without frosts, cool weather may delay ripening and provoke price growth.
