Good harvest of nuts expected in Moldova in 2019

15:36 | 25.09.2019 Category: Economic

Chisinau, 25 September /MOLDPRES/ – In 2019, it is expected a good harvest of nuts in Moldova. Also, the quality of the products will be better and their purchase price might increase.

Interviewed by agency, Oleg Tarsana, the head of the Union of Associations of Producers of Nuciferous Cultures of Moldova (UAPCNM), has announced that, according to estimates, the production of nuts in the shell will reach the figure of 36 – 38 thousand tonnes in 2019. "It is extremely difficult to make an estimate of production, including because, in Moldova, 65 – 70 per cent of the amount of nuts is harvested from the alignment strips. But, based upon data from previous years and observations made in several districts, it was estimated that the production of 2019 will be approximately equal to the one of 2016, to which will be added about 15 per cent from the entry on fruit of the new plantations established 05 – 07 years ago”, mentioned the head of UAPCNM.

Also, according to Oleg Tarsana, the quality of walnut kernel will be better than that of 2018. Under these terms, the experts estimate that it will also increase the purchase price of production, depending on its quality.

According to estimated data, the area of walnut commercial orchards in Moldova has exceeded 20,000 ha. It is added to this the alignment strips, so that, in total, the walnut surface exceeds 30,000 ha. Annually, there are planted on average 1,500 – 2,000 ha of walnut orchards in Moldova, the figure being based upon sales of planting material.

In 2018, several nut producers complained that the purchase price of the walnut kernel was very low. Some even accused that it would have been imposed a monopoly on the export of kernel. Under these conditions, in July 2019, the Government set up an intergovernmental commission that would clarify issues regarding the legality of limiting the access of economic operators to the export of nuts. The members of commission are going to identify the causes of monopoly on the export of nuts and propose solutions for demonopolisation, forwarding to Government proposals for liberalising the export of nuts and their derivatives.

In 2018, there were produced almost 35,000 tonnes of nuts in Moldova.

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