However, in an unusual move, the Cabinet of Ministers is working with a more optimistic forecast—one close to the upper limit of the aforementioned range. Farmers’ and traders’ organizations agree on a more pessimistic estimate—850,000–900,000 metric tons of marketable sunflower seeds.
Earlier, Logos Press reported, citing the Ministry of Agriculture’s spring forecast, that sunflower plantings for the 2026 harvest in Moldova total 420,000–430,000 hectares, with the most optimistic estimate at 450,000 hectares. Last year, according to statistical data, the area planted was 414,000 hectares.
Operators in Moldova’s grain market note that, contrary to the usual pattern, this year’s sunflower harvest will begin in the northern regions, which are currently suffering from drought more severely than the southern regions of the country. At the same time, in northern Moldova, the average yield is unlikely to exceed 2 metric tons per hectare.
The sunflower harvest situation in Moldova could still be affected by potential rainfall during the harvest period—in September and October. As for price levels, they will likely be influenced by the state of transportation logistics and agricultural storage infrastructure in Moldova this fall.
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