Apple producers identified solutions for export of this year's harvest

Chisinau, Nov. 16 /MOLDPRES/- Apple producers and exporters, members of the Moldova Fruit Association participated yesterday in a workshop -Diversification of markets for Moldovan apples, to discuss prospects for exporting fruit to new markets and overcoming entry barriers to alternative markets, as well as maintaining the existing ones.

According to Moldova Fruct, this year, the global production of apples in Moldova was about 400 thousand tons, which is 40% less than the previous year. Between July and October, 31 thousand tons of apples were exported. At the same time, it is estimated that from the current harvest, about 240 thousand tons will be delivered for processing, and 12 thousand tons have already been sold on the local market. In cold storage, on November 1, approximately 117 thousand tons of apples are stored, which is less by about 100 thousand tons, compared to November 1, 2021.

The participants of the event concluded that cooperation within the sector is necessary to face competition in alternative markets, to validate our apples in the Indian market and to ensure competitive batches of apple varieties demanded by Persian Gulf buyers, to identify optimization solutions of the high logistics costs, which reduce the competitiveness of Moldovan fruits in relation to those from Poland, Serbia, etc., the promotion of apple consumption on the local market, which decreases annually.

"Even if in the 2021-2022 commercial season Moldovan apples expanded their export geography from 18 to 28 countries, now we have to mobilize to maintain our existing markets, but also to expand to new ones. We must manage to cooperate in export and reduce the excessive fragmentation of the offer, which devalues ​​efforts to promote fruits and reduces opportunities on alternative markets", Moldova Fruct head Iurie Fală said.

The event was organized by Moldova Fruct with the support of the Rural Competitiveness and Resilience Project of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the International Finance Corporation within the Investment Climate Reform in the Republic of Moldova Project and hosted by the Elit Fruct company.

Photo: Moldova Fruit