Moldova: Potato Wholesale Prices Climb to 6-6.5 Lei per Kilo, Experts See 15 Lei Ahead
Moldovan wholesale potato prices rose to 6-6.5 lei/kg as a smaller harvest, fewer seed imports and limited cheap imports from neighbors point toward further increases, analysts say.
Potato prices in Moldova have started rising earlier than usual this season: wholesale gained 1.5–2 lei over the past two weeks to reach 6–6.5 lei per kilogram, with produce selected for supermarket chains priced at about 7 lei/kg, news outlet Rupor.md reported on 19 October 2026, citing market operators via Logos Press.
Analysts cited by the outlet expect wholesale prices to climb to 10–12 lei/kg by February 2027 and 14–15 lei/kg by March–April — a forecast, not a current price. They point to a smaller planted area (23,000 hectares, down 4.5% year on year per the National Bureau of Statistics), a 10–20% drop in seed-potato imports linked to certification changes, and a harvest hit by late spring, summer drought and plant disease. Cheaper imports are also expected to be limited: supply from Ukraine and Belarus faces costly logistics and expected shortages in Ukraine, while EU harvests fell 20–30% and spring imports from Egypt are expected to be expensive amid high demand.
Sources: Rupor.md, 19 October 2026.
