Logistics Dictate the Price of Rare Grain Transactions Within Moldova
Activity on the domestic market has slowed for both sellers and buyers. Farmers are selling very little, and traders are not eager to purchase large quantities of agricultural products. Wheat, barley, and rapeseed are circulating on the Moldovan market in small quantities. The actual price of the goods varies significantly from region to region, and it is not necessarily “linked to quality.”
The decline in trading activity continues to be largely driven by high transportation costs. For example, shipping agricultural raw materials from Briceni to Giurgiulești costs 850 lei/metric ton, and from Florești—650 lei/metric ton. At the same time, feed wheat is currently selling in the north of the country at 2,600–2,700 lei per metric ton, and in the south at 3,300–3,350 lei per metric ton (including VAT). In other words, transportation costs account for a very high proportion of the price.
Nevertheless, compared to the situation at the end of the second ten-day period of August, a slight price increase was recorded in northern Moldova by the end of the month—an average of 50 lei/metric ton. According to some market analysts, this is a reflection of rising prices for first-group agricultural commodities in Romania (as discussed below).
Price trends for food wheat are less linear. In the Giurgiulești area, the price rose to 3,400–3,600 lei/t—an average of 100 lei/t more than ten days ago. Evidently, the increase is driven by exporters’ activity, albeit not at a very high level.
However, in northern Moldova, milling-quality wheat fell in price by roughly the same 100 lei/metric ton during this period—to 3,000–3,100 lei/metric ton. The reason is a decline in demand from local flour mills, which have already met their needs for purchasing raw material stocks.
On the domestic market, barley prices remain relatively stable: 2,500–2,600 lei/metric ton in the north and 3,200–3,300 lei/metric ton in the south.
Rapeseed prices have fallen, and sunflower seeds have appeared on the market
Rapeseed in Moldova remains the most expensive crop among the first group of field crops. However, over the past ten days, the price has fallen by an average of 300 lei/metric ton nationwide: in the north, to 9,100–9,300 lei/metric ton, and in the south, to 10,000–10,100 lei/metric ton.
In late August, sunflower seeds from the 2026 harvest appeared on the domestic market. Starting prices range from 8,700–8,800 lei/metric ton (Briceni) to 9,500 lei/metric ton (Giurgiulești). But even at this early stage of the season, the market is far from having uniform prices. In the south of the country, some market operators are willing to offer a price above the regional average for sunflower seeds delivered directly to the elevator. This indicates a desire on the part of certain buyers to encourage prompt deliveries.
“We find ourselves in a situation where goods are available, but they cannot reach the buyer,” comments Yurie Riza, an expert in agromarketing, on the current state of the grain and oilseed market. “Today, trade in agricultural commodities is determined not by the classic balance of supply and demand, but by logistics and insurance premiums—surcharges added to the price of goods coming from regions adjacent to or directly located within the war zone.”
Romania’s Grain and Oilseed Market
The most obvious sign of this distortion is the price difference at the port of Constanta between products of Romanian origin and those from other countries in the Black Sea region: the discount on goods arriving via the ports of Reni and Izmail, compared to similar goods, is approximately $65/metric ton.
Compared to the relatively modest price changes a week ago, Romania’s grain market has seen a significant upward shift in prices this week. Thus, the price of Romanian-produced barley rose to 210–220 euros per metric ton due to Ukraine’s inability to export its own produce. Prices for Romanian wheat have stabilized at 225–230 euros per metric ton (delivery terms: DAP Constanta Port). Meanwhile, grain from Moldova and Ukraine is being sold at a significant discount.
Rapeseed is selling for an average of 530 euros per metric ton. The price of Romanian sunflower seeds has risen to $592–595 per metric ton (delivery terms: DAP Constanta port), whereas at the start of the new season it was around $535 per metric ton.
Shipowners are the winners
“The difference in freight costs between routes that are virtually identical in distance best illustrates the fact that logistics ‘eat into’ producers’ margins,” notes Iurie Riza. “On the Giurgiulești–Constanța route, the freight rate is about $20–30/metric ton, while on the Reni–Constanța route, it rises to $42/metric ton. Although the distance between the two ports is only 30–40 km, shipowners practically avoid the Giurgiulești route, heading instead to Reni, where the rate is much higher. It is now becoming increasingly difficult for traders to find a shipowner willing to take on cargo at Giurgiulești—further proof that today’s price is determined by the availability of available transport.”
