Despite heavy challenges with weather, one exporter's harvest has been saved, for the most part, says Ruslan Jubîrcă, the director of Moldovan apple exporter FructLine: "The 2025 season has been marked by both challenges and achievements that highlight the resilience of Moldovan fruit growers. Despite two waves of spring frost, the team managed to save nearly 70% of the crop, ensuring a production of over 2,000 tons of apples, available for export."

The apples in Moldova had to withstand two frost waves, with the latter one causing quite some losses, Jubîrcă states. "The first frost wave passed without major losses, but the second one proved to be more severe. However, the favorable location of our orchards and the use of protection systems, such as thermal fogging and anti-frost sprinkling, allowed us to preserve a significant part of the harvest."

The company manages about 40 hectares of apple orchards, planted with top export varieties including Gala, Braeburn, Golden Delicious, and Red Delicious (Red Chief). "The apple quality this year is excellent. Harvesting was done at the optimal time, which ensured uniform fruits with calibers ranging between 65 and 80 mm; exactly the standard required by the European market," Jubîrcă explains. "The first shipments have already been delivered to the Gulf countries, followed by Greece, Romania, the Netherlands, and Turkey, with each batch calibrated and packed according to the specifications of the respective markets."

Thanks to several investments, Jubîrcă feels FructLine has ensured the ability to supply apples fresh at any time during the season. "We're equipped with a state-of-the-art sorting line, capable of detecting both external and internal defects with precision. Our storage infrastructure includes 18 dynamic controlled atmosphere (DCA) cold rooms, with a total capacity of around 5,000 tons, ensuring that the fruits remain fresh and of premium quality until spring. This means we can deliver fresh, firm, and flavorful apples at any time. Each lot is clearly labeled, and thanks to our diverse packaging options, deliveries are carried out under impeccable conditions, maintaining the cold chain all the way to the final destination."

FructLine also plans to expand its super-intensive orchards by an additional 10 hectares, equipped with modern irrigation, fertigation, and anti-hail net systems: "We aim to increase our production capacity and automate processing; it's the only way to remain competitive on the market. Interest from international buyers, including European importers in Moldovan apples, continues to grow, largely due to their distinctive flavor profile," Jubîrcă concludes.

Source - https://www.freshplaza.com