Moldovan vegetables' export to Ukraine constantly growing

Chisinau, August 10 /MOLDPRES/- The export of vegetables from the Republic of Moldova to Ukraine increased considerably after Russia attacked the neighboring country in 2022. In order to provide the country's population with the necessary agricultural products and reduce the risk of a food crisis, last year Ukraine tripled its imports of fresh vegetables from Moldova and four times the import of processed vegetables, compared to 2021.

The experts of the USAID Rural Competitiveness and Resilience Activity in Moldova said that already for the second year, Moldovan farmers mainly export to Ukraine fresh vegetables such as onions, carrots, cabbage, cucumbers and potatoes. According to statistics, in 2022 Moldova exported to Ukraine about 14.6 thousand tons of fresh vegetables, compared to 4.5 thousand tons of vegetables exported in 2021. In January - May 2023, Moldova exported to Ukraine about 7.4 thousands tons of vegetables and the volume of exports will continue to grow until the end of the year, in the situation where the harvest season of vegetables has just started. Exports of processed vegetables are also on the rise.

Project specialist Rodion Gudîm saod that because of the war, Ukraine started importing vegetables from Moldova that they did not import before. For example, in 2022, Ukraine imported from Moldova about 2.8 thousand tons of carrots, while neither in 2020 nor in 2021, Moldova exported carrots to Ukraine. In the first five months of the current year, five thousand tons of carrots have already been exported, almost twice as much as during the 12 months of 2022. There is also an impressive increase in the export of onions from Moldova, which in last year was twice as high in volume and nearly four times as high in value compared to 2021.

A good part of the vegetables exported to Ukraine come from the areas of centralized irrigation systems rehabilitated in 2010-2015 within the Compact Program of the United States of America. Valeriu Papuc has been producing vegetables, especially onions, in the area of the Coșnița centralized irrigation system for more than 20 years, which he sells on the local market. In 2022, his vegetables were mostly exported to Ukraine, because the onions were of good quality and the price was attractive.

Due to the war, the production of vegetables in Ukraine became difficult because extensive areas of agricultural land were mined and the largest irrigation system and dam in Nova Kahovka were destroyed.

Photo: Rural Competitiveness and Resilience Activity in Moldova