February 13 2007, 10:02

Moldova: walnut export growth

Moldova is the third largest supplier of the shelled walnuts in the European Union, FreshPlaza informs. The export to the EU is likely to include some services of the product processing; actually France annually exports the unshelled nuts to Moldova for the total sum worth to approximately $ 1 mln.

The success of Moldavian nuts is predetermined by the combination of several favorable factors. Walnuts were not considered as the commercial crop in the former USSR. The walnut trees were often used as a hedge against the wind around the fields. The climatic and soil conditions of Moldova perfectly suit the walnut production, so this type of business is growing by very fast rates. Walnuts grew on 3,000 ha in Moldova in 1995; there have been 18,000 ha of walnut trees by 2000, the periodical informed with the reference to FAO. An average yield was on the level of 830 kg/ha in 1995 and already 6,000 kg/ha in 2000.

Walnut production involves foreign investments. Such companies like Foodpro International have invested $ 1.3 mln. to walnut production, processing and export development since the USSR collapsed. Low labor cost makes Moldavian produce price-competitive on the market of walnut kernels for confectionary industry. In addition, Moldavian walnut quality is characterized by a high protein content.

The quantity of the walnut processing and exporting centers has increased from 27 centers in 1998 up to 58 centers in 2000 in Moldova; as of today, the number of these centers is less than before. The majority of the remaining 15 companies supply products to a couple of large exporters. The unshelled walnuts are supplied to Moldova from the EU, mostly by France and Greece.

In addition to the re-export of a certain quantity of the unshelled walnuts supplied from the EU, large walnut volumes are delivered from Ukraine and re-exported to the EU in line with the preferential trade agreements between the EU and Moldova.