In W40 in the plum and prune landscape, the mass plum harvesting in Moldova is nearing its end, with farmers aiming to expedite the process to release late plum plantations before cold weather and precipitation. The plum harvest in Moldova in 2023 is anticipated to surpass the initial projections, with USAID experts estimating exports reaching 85 thousand tons of plums and 70 thousand tons of plums. At the onset of harvesting late (autumn) plum varieties, farmers observed that the predominance of small-sized fruits initially led to concerns that the harvest might fall short of the significant threshold of 100 thousand tons.
During Sept-23, Moldovan plum exports saw substantial demand, leading to a weekly increase of 15 to 20% in average wholesale prices. Nonetheless, the prices have remained notably lower than in the previous two years. The high demand has even prompted small-scale farmers to sell lower-quality plums in the domestic fresh market, suggesting that the 2023 harvest could surpass the previous year's. Market participants are optimistic about the high demand for plums from this sector of Moldovan fruit production.
In Argentina, Trador SA, a company in Mendoza, has the potential to produce 120 thousand tons of fresh plums annually, leaving around 40 thousand dry tons. However, this results in 50% production stability. Out of the 10.5 thousand productive hectares (ha), only 50% have optimal agronomic quality, with 86% located in the Provincial South. Genetic improvements and hard work on pruning, fertilization, and risk are crucial for improving plum production, but availability, labor, and water scarcity pose significant challenges.