This conclusion is presented by expert Viacheslav Ionitsa on Friday, March 13, 2026, as part of the weekly program “Economic Analysis with Viacheslav Ionita”.
According to him, in 2025, agricultural production increased by 13.8% after three years of decline. At the same time, agricultural exports reached $635 million in the fourth quarter of 2025, the highest quarterly total in history.
“The year 2025 is close to the level of 2021, which is considered the best in Moldova’s history. If the current trend continues, 2026 may surpass the records set in 2021,” Veaceslav Ionita said.
Evolution and structure of exports
The total exports of agricultural products in 2025 reached $1.8 billion, although it is still below the maximum value of $2.1 billion recorded in the second quarter of 2022. The increase in exports was achieved by the following commodities: oilseeds -$226.3 million, fruits and nuts – $39.2 million, milk and dairy products -$6.3 million, fats and oils -$6.2 million, meat and edible offal – $4.9 million.
Analarmingtrend
However, Ionita draws attention to an alarming trend: an increase in exports of raw materials and a decrease in exports of finished products.
Data shows that in 2025, exports of agricultural raw materials increased by $250 million compared to 2024, while exports of processed food products decreased by almost $243 million compared to 2023. Exports of finished products were mainly replaced by exports of raw materials.
In the structure of foreign trade, agro-products accounted for 48.6% of Moldova’s total exports in 2025, the highest in the last 20 years, compared to 45.7% in 2024 and 42.8% in 2023. In terms of GDP, agricultural exports amounted to 9.4% in 2025, the same level as in 2020. However, net exports are much lower, at only 0.7% of GDP, down from 21% in 1997 and 4.5% in 2022.
An unprecedented phenomenon
An unprecedented phenomenon was recorded in the sector in 2025. For the first time, imports exceeded exports. Food exports totaled $596 million and imports reached $797 million, resulting in a trade deficit of about $201 million.
“The situation is simple: we have raw materials but we are not utilizing them efficiently. It needs to be channeled to the livestock sector, then to processing and only then to export. Only in this way can we increase added value, the number of jobs and budget revenues,” the economist emphasized.
