Mild rains in May, known locally as “shepherd’s rains”, have given Moldovan strawberry growers their first real hope for a decent harvest this season, Logos Press reports.
According to Aneta Ganenco, head of the “Pomuşoarele Moldovei” Berry Growers Association, the current combination of gradual warming and moderate rainfall is seen as ideal in the run-up to the open-field strawberry harvest, expected to begin in the first week of June. While average daily temperatures remain slightly below optimal, a further rise is anticipated. If the weather holds, soil conditions are likely to improve enough to allow efficient and high-quality picking.
Expectations are especially positive for early and mid-season strawberry varieties.
However, long-term challenges persist. According to Dmitri Dodica, director of Anastasia Trading & Services SRL, Moldova’s total berry production has been declining annually by 5–15% since the beginning of the decade.
Last year, the country produced 17,100 tonnes of berries, down from 20,800 tonnes in 2023, with strawberries accounting for about half of that volume.
Source: logos-pres.md
Frontpage photo: © Oleksandr Umanets | Dreamstime
Publication date:
Fri 30 May 2025
