Harvest Quality
In principle, ‘Moldova’ grapes have been available in Moldovan shops for about two weeks now. They originate from the south of the country, from plantations with vines trained on vertical trellises (the harvest on traditional plantations with low productivity ripens earlier than on ‘pergola’-style plantations).
Consumers awaiting the start of sales of this grape variety – as a symbol of the onset of autumn and a key feature of the table grape season – have already had the opportunity to form an initial impression of the quality of the new ‘Moldova’ harvest. At a relatively high price – around 17–18 lei per kg – retailers have been offering, since mid-September, fairly heavy bunches (0.5–0.7 kg) that are fresh (with a ‘green crest’), but with berries that are, on average, not particularly large, watery and slightly sour. All in all, nothing to write home about.
Initial assessments by industry professionals at the start of the mass harvest in ‘Moldova’ are, alas, not particularly high either. For instance, Gheorghe Haberi, chairman of the Association of Grape Producers and Exporters, notes that ‘throughout the season we have repeatedly discussed the particularities of this year, starting right from the beginning – with the consequences of the harsh winter for the vines’. In the spring, the vines were periodically covered in ice for around two weeks. As a result: ‘the effects of the death of the central buds are visible everywhere – this has led to the formation of smaller bunches and berries from the lateral buds’.
The ripening of the harvest this season was delayed by about two weeks, and the accumulation of sugars in the berries was slow (although, according to the expert quoted, in terms of the sum of effective temperatures, this year is no different from the average or from the situation in 2025).
The effects of the rains over the past month, as well as the large fluctuations in night-time and daytime air temperatures, have also become apparent. In many vineyards, localised outbreaks of disease (such as grey mould and others) have appeared due to excessive moisture (precipitation, fog, dew).
‘However, in vineyards equipped with modern protection systems (plastic sheeting), the negative impact has been less pronounced,’ notes Gheorghe Haber. “It is becoming increasingly clear that the sector’s resilience depends largely on the viticulture system employed. The situation looks more favourable where digital monitoring systems have been introduced and protective measures are in place — in particular, anti-hail and anti-rain systems.”
No significant rainfall is forecast for Moldova over the next two weeks. Consequently, winegrowers should mobilise their resources to the fullest extent possible to carry out the bulk of the harvest under favourable weather conditions, in order to avoid the biggest ‘quality issue’ – cracking of the berries.
Unfortunately, due to a chronic labour shortage, very few Moldovan winegrowers practise harvesting grapes in stages (in several rounds, as the grapes ripen); instead, the entire crop is harvested from the vineyard in one go.
Volume
According to preliminary expert estimates, the 2026 table grape harvest in Moldova is likely to be lower than last year’s and is unlikely to exceed 100,000 tonnes. At the same time, the ‘fresh market’ – both domestic and export – will receive no less, and most likely more, marketable produce than in the previous season.
The fact is that, over the past few years, according to industry experts’ calculations, Moldovan grape growers have supplied around 20,000–40,000 tonnes of table grapes to wineries for processing. However, according to initial reports, this year the vast majority of wineries do not plan to purchase table grapes (and are even significantly reducing their procurement of red wine grape varieties – due to high levels of unsold wine stocks).
Consequently, we can expect widespread attempts to sell low-quality table grapes on the ‘fresh market’. A substantial volume of such produce will constantly ‘weigh down’ the average working price for table grapes from the 2026 harvest in Moldova.
Prices
The rapid rise in the cost of energy and other production resources at the start of the season led grape growers to expect high price offers from traders. To some extent, these expectations were met. Some exporters paid relatively good prices for early (‘summer’) table grape varieties, particularly seedless ones – up to 25 lei/kg.
However, the initial price level for ‘Moldova’ grapes of standard quality from traditional vineyards – 10–12 lei per kg – is discouraging for grape growers. That said, as the large-scale grape harvest gets underway, particularly from ‘pergola’-style vineyards, the situation may change. Already, some traders claim that their first consignments of ‘Moldova’ to the Belarusian market ‘sold quickly and at a good price’.
However, these reports are not indicative of the overall picture. Questions remain as to where, when and at what price the bulk of the ‘Moldova’ harvest will be sold.
This story was translated with the assistance of artificial intelligence.The translation was also reviewed by the Logos Press editorial team.
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