Apple processing volumes in Moldova have significantly exceeded last year’s pace. By early November, around 200,000 tonnes of apples had already been processed at the country’s five apple concentrate factories, according to Logos Press.
The processing season is still ongoing, and industry representatives expect the final volume to reach 260,000–280,000 tonnes of apples from the 2025 harvest. Last year, the sector processed roughly 220,000 tonnes, based on data from the Fruit and Vegetable Processors Association “Speranța Con”.
In 2024, Moldova’s total apple harvest amounted to around 407,000 tonnes, with about 54% classified as industrial-grade fruit. This share is expected to increase in 2025 due to adverse weather conditions, including spring frosts, summer drought, and prolonged autumn rains, which affected fruit quality and reduced the volume suitable for the fresh market.
According to Boris Efimov, CEO of Orhei Vit, the actual 2025 apple harvest is likely to exceed summer forecasts presented ahead of the Prognosfruit Conference, reaching 400,000–450,000 tonnes, well above last year’s level.
A similar situation is being observed in other parts of Central and Eastern Europe. In Poland, for instance, summer forecasts were recently revised upward by over 25%, with the current crop now estimated at more than 4 million tonnes.
As a result, the European apple concentrate campaign is developing at a fast pace this autumn. With large volumes expected across the continent, prices for apple concentrate are falling sharply. Efimov noted that most major European buyers have already contracted their needs for the fourth quarter of 2025 and the first quarter of 2026, leaving the apple concentrate market effectively “frozen” at the beginning of November.
Source: logos-pres.md