In a conversation with LP correspondent, ANRM chairman Oleg Tirsină emphasized that the estimation of the potential yield is based on the observations of the association members. At the same time, the basis for comparison is the information about the walnut harvest in Moldova, periodically presented by the International Nut and Dried Fruit Council INC. In the last few years the production of walnuts in our country by this international organization is estimated within 20-24 thousand tons (weight of fruits in hard shell). The maximum level, more than 40 thousand tons, according to INC, the walnut harvest in Moldova reached eight years ago.
According to Oleg Tirsină, the projected decline in the crop-2025 is due to late spring frosts, as well as poor pollination, which negatively affected the condition of walnut plantations. In many of them, the number of fruits on the trees is low. However, in those orchards, where proper care is provided, i.e. feeding, irrigation, phytosanitary treatments, relatively small number of fruits is compensated by their large size. Precipitation in the last decade of August is very timely and useful, it “will work to increase the quality – weight and fullness of fruits”. Finally, although this summer was rather dry, the atmospheric temperature did not reach last year’s record.
Thanks to this, there is still hope that at least specialized nut-growing enterprises with a high level of agro-technology and developed post-harvest infrastructure will receive significant volumes of varietal nuts (“Peschansky”, “Chandler”, “Fernor”, “Franket”, “Lara”, etc.) of high quality. This is important from the point of view that during the last few years in the structure of export commodity flow from Moldova the share of marketable nuts from specialized enterprises grown on garden (not forest) type plantations has been growing.
In general, there is an impression that in Moldovan nut growing, as well as in some other segments of fruit production (e.g. apple production), a change of format has been taking place over the last few years. These segments are becoming more compact – their production is decreasing, and mainly at the expense of low quality products. And these segments are becoming oriented towards specialization of the assortment, as well as expansion of the geography of external supplies.
In particular, with regard to nut production, in the last few seasons the list of important buyers of Moldovan nuts has been enlarged by such countries as Turkey, Italy and Switzerland. In the sales structure, the emphasis has started to shift to varietal nuts in shell. Some companies are trying to introduce “niche” products to the market – young nuts in consumer packaging, in green peel, etc.
