Moldova dried fruit exports double: Key to economic growth
"This is essentially a mini-economy that is developing quite dynamically," says economist Veaceslav Ioniţă, an expert at the IDIS think tank Viitorul (The Future).
Plums account for three-quarters of dried fruit exports, followed by apples and peaches.
"Our fruit is exported in three ways: fresh; processed—either dried or frozen; or in a highly processed state, meaning it goes into the food industry."
While dried fruit accounted for 7% of exports in this sector in the previous period, it reached 15.3% last year.
Mr Ioniţă believes that fruit drying "could become a growth engine for agriculture and the processing industry, contributing to job creation and increased export revenues."
Most dried fruits are exported to countries in the European Union. Analyzing the data for the last three years, Mr Ioniţă pointed out that 16% of deliveries went to the Romanian market. Germany receives 12% of exports, while Bulgaria and Poland hold shares of 8.3% and 7%, respectively.
Regarding prices, the economist says that the dried fruit market is characterized by higher fluctuations compared to the fresh fruit market.
"The highest export price was $3.20 per kg in the first three months of 2022. The lowest was $1.60 per kg in the last quarter of 2024. The average price for the second quarter of 2025 was $2.50 per kg," Mr Ioniţă said, estimating that the upward trend will continue until the end of the year.
The IDIS Viitorul expert notes that the dried fruit sector is gradually becoming an important component of the national economy. The steady growth in global demand offers Moldova the opportunity to diversify its exports and strengthen its economic position.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
