Exports of "Moldova" table grapes remain relatively small, but prices are holding firm, which experts describe as quite good given the current market conditions, reports Logos Press.
The harvest campaign for late table grape varieties is running about two weeks behind schedule. However, by the final ten days of October, growers had already passed the "midpoint" of the season. According to grape industry specialists, the pace of autumn exports also lags behind that of previous years. Most of the crop is being placed in cold storage facilities.
"This is a rather risky marketing strategy," said Sergey Tutovan, head of the Grape Producers Association in the Cahul region. Grapes harvested after prolonged rainfall tend to store better for extended periods, even under controlled-atmosphere conditions, but the process requires careful handling and increases the risk of spoilage.
In ideal conditions, producers prefer to store only high-quality grapes. However, due to this year's challenging weather and harvest delays, even slightly damaged fruit has ended up in storage. Growers report that October's persistent rains caused berry cracking and rot, forcing them to remove defective fruit and slowing down the harvest process.
"Before the rains, vineyard workers could collect several tons of grapes per day; now they're managing just a few hundred kilograms," growers said.
The relatively limited supply of grapes ready for export is helping to support wholesale prices, even for mid-quality fruit. For "Moldova" grapes, prices last week remained stable at 14–16 lei/kg (€0.70-0.80). In mid-October of last year, export-quality grapes were fetching up to 18 lei/kg (€0.90). Although slightly lower, this year's prices are still favorable, especially given the weaker supply and higher costs of harvest and storage.
Meanwhile, the price of lower-quality grapes used for winemaking has dropped to around 2.80–3.20 lei/kg (€0.14-0.16), according to market observers.
Given the difficult harvesting conditions, industry specialists believe that Moldova's total table grape crop this year will likely not exceed 70,000–80,000 tonnes.
Source: logos-pres.md
