Drought is expected to take a toll on Moldova's autumn cucumber harvest. Growers say the production will be much lower than in previous years and, therefore, prices will have to increase. Some fruit and vegetable processors claim to have foreseen this situation and had closed supply contracts in early spring. Adrian Nistreanu, an agronomist based in Straseni, predicted a yield this autumn season of about 120 tonnes of cucumbers per hectare, although the harvest will be 30 percent smaller. "Prices will consequently be higher than last year," he said. Thus, a kilo of cucumbers is expected to cost about 20 lei, which is 5 more than last year. Growers justify this in the fact that they have made large investments and the money they will earn will barely cover costs. "It has been a difficult year because of the high temperatures registered and a great number of cucumber seedlings have been lost in the second stage of production," said the President of the Association of Vegetable Producers, Mihail Paciu. Source - http://www.freshplaza.com