Moldova is a top 5 EU walnut exporter: A family business in Criuleni
The Republic of Moldova is a major supplier of walnuts to the European Union, which receives approximately 86 per cent of the country’s domestic production. Behind these exports are years of hard work, investment, and challenges for farmers. The Medvițchi family, from the village of Slobozia-Dușca in Criuleni district, chose to focus on walnuts, transforming neglected farmland into an orchard.
Initially, the Medviţchi family planned to plant 300 hectares. Because domestic nurseries didn't have enough saplings, the farmers imported planting stock.
"We planted varieties imported from France, though at the time we didn't really know how they would perform. The 'Franquette' variety is slower to start bearing fruit, and the yield is low—500 kilograms per hectare. Our trees are planted at a 10-by-10-meter spacing, but they aren't growing much; the canopy is only five meters wide. If they had been planted at a 6-by-8-meter spacing, they would have grown taller," explains Ecaterina Medvițchi.
The walnut harvest from the plantation in Slobozia-Dușca is approximately 30% lower than in previous years. A cool spring and bacteriosis affected production. Farmers argue that, given these circumstances, the state should provide them with more support.
"Subsidies are very low—15,000 lei per hectare. Nurseries in Moldova struggle to develop because it is costly. Significant investment is required before a plantation begins to bear fruit. With new varieties, we have to wait five or six years, during which time we have no income. I don’t see how we can manage on 15,000 lei while waiting seven years for the orchard to start producing," the entrepreneur says.
The Medviţchi family has invested in a washing, sorting, and drying line and, for now, sells walnuts in the shell. Orchard operations also require enough workers, especially during the busy periods of the agricultural season.
“A minibus takes us there and brings us back, and we’re happy with that. If there’s no work for us at home, we work for others.”
“We check the walnut trees to make sure nothing gets overlooked. One team moves ahead, and we follow behind to double-check. We make sure it’s done properly.”
Walnut orchards account for about 15% of the country's total fruit-growing area. Despite year-after-year challenges, local producers continue to invest in modern varieties and export walnuts to European Union markets. As a result, the Republic of Moldova has become one of the top 5 exporters of walnuts to EU countries.
