Moldova's walnut harvest in 2025 is forecast to be 15–20% lower than last year, according to the Walnut Growers Association of Moldova. The decline is mainly due to late spring frosts and weak pollination, which reduced fruit set across many orchards.
However, growers note that in well-managed plantations, with irrigation, fertilization, and phytosanitary treatments, the smaller crop load is offset by larger nut size and higher quality kernels. Rainfall in late August also arrived just in time to support nut filling and weight.
In recent years, Moldova has produced 20,000–24,000 tons of walnuts annually (in shell), compared to a record of more than 40,000 tons eight years ago. Despite lower volumes, industry leaders expect premium varieties such as Peschansky, Chandler, Fernor, Franquette, and Lara to achieve strong quality this season.
The sector is undergoing a structural shift: overall production is shrinking, mostly at the expense of low-quality output, while specialized orchards are gaining ground. Export flows are increasingly dominated by plantation-grown walnuts of selected varieties. Key buyers now include Turkey, Italy, and Switzerland, with a growing share of in-shell walnuts and niche products like fresh green walnuts in consumer packaging.
Source: logos-pres.md