According to analysts from EastFruit, despite the record harvest of apples and plums, Moldova has sharply reduced its exports to Russia in September 2018 compared to the same month last year. Apple exports from Moldova to Russia fell by 42%, from 27.2 to 15.8 thousand MT. However, this volume still exceeded that of September 2016, when exports amounted to just 13.4 thousand MT.
As of the third week of November, Moldova still has record stocks of plums in cold storage. In September, its exports to Russia amounted to 9.3 thousand MT and were 6% lower than in the same month a year earlier.
Meanwhile, the export of table grapes dropped even more significantly, by 23.4%, down to 3 thousand MT. In the same month a year earlier, 3.9 thousand MT of table grapes were delivered from Moldova to Russia. Also, the supply of Moldovan peaches and nectarines to Russia dropped almost five times, from 527 MT to 113 MT.
It is also worth noting that the export of Moldovan pears to Russia recorded a slight increase, although the total volume remained insignificant. In September 2018, 177 MT of pears were exported.
All in all, in September, Moldova became the Russian Federation’s eighth largest fruit supplier, receiving $ 14.5 million in revenue; 23.5% less than in September 2017. Moldova’s share in Russian fruit imports fell from 6.3% in September 2017 to 5% in September 2018. A year earlier, Moldova stood fourth in this ranking, but in 2018, the country has been overcome by China, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and Argentina.