The table grape harvest this year is by about 30% lower on the vineyards that yielded until now. There is yet hope that the new vineyards that yield this year for the first time will partially cover the losses caused by the unfavorable weather conditions. Gheorghe Gaberi, head of the Association of Table Grape Producers and Exporters of Moldova, has told IPN that the table grapes have been affected not only by the drought of the recent past, but also by a specific disease and by the January and April frosts.

“In January, when the temperatures dropped from plus 10 to minus 24 degree Celsius, and in April, many vineyards suffered because of the frost. In the southern districts, the harvest is almost twice lower than last year. Furthermore, we also face the disease called mildew. Who didn’t treat the vineyards on time now have a poorer crop,” stated Gheorghe Gaberi. The producers anticipated that the harvest will total about 100,000 tonnes of table grapes, but will have to review their forecasts down. The main sort of grapes – Moldova – hasn’t yet reached maturity and its development depends on whether it rains or not the coming days.

As regards the demand for table grapes, this is high. Some of the producers already supply grapes to shop chains in Belarus and Russia. The absence of cold-storage facilities remains a problem. “The small producers cannot cooperate and form large consignments. But their grapes are in demand and the large producers will purchase all the grapes of a high quality,” said the head of the Association of Table Grape Producers and Exporters.

The prices remained mainly at the same level as last year. At the market, the grapes sell for 15-25 lei/kg, depending on the sort. Gheorghe Gaberi predicts that the prices will grow, influenced by the depreciation of the Moldova leu and the poorer harvest.

Last year Moldova produced about 100,000 tonnes of table grapes. More than half of this quantity was exported to EU and CIS member states.