Mushrooms and truffles market in Moldova

Earlier Report Observations

The market for fresh or chilled mushrooms and truffles in Moldova declined from 2 957 tonnes in 2018 to 2 036 tonnes in 2020. This contraction was driven by a sharp drop in imports, which fell from 1 076 tonnes to 284 tonnes over the same period, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 that created a turbulent year with a difficult first half. Despite the downturn, major producer Mush Comb announced plans for modernisation and investment, targeting a doubling of sales by 2024.

Post-pandemic recovery saw the market volume rebound to 2 341 tonnes by 2023, though domestic production continued a gradual decline to 1 590 tonnes. The growth was fuelled by rising imports, which reached 751 tonnes in 2023, indicating sustained consumer demand.

In 2024, heightened food safety concerns led the National Food Safety Agency to issue warnings against unauthorized wild mushroom picking and sales, culminating in a National Poisoning Prevention Week. Concurrently, growing interest in truffle cultivation, supported by Moldova's favourable natural conditions, pointed to potential development in this premium segment.

Production mushrooms and truffles in Moldova

In kind, 2017-2020, t

Top producers of mushrooms and truffles, 2017-2020

World map of production of mushrooms and truffles, 2017-2020

Moldova's production of mushrooms and truffles has declined for the third year in a row. In 2020, the country produced 1 767 tons, which is 6.1% less than in 2019. Looking at the period from 2017 to 2020, production fell by 17.4%, with an average annual decline of 6.2%.

Annual dynamics of production in Moldova in kind, 2017-2020, t

Exports mushrooms and truffles from Moldova

Exports in kind, t

The data shows irregular changes, pointing to a volatile market. Exports peaked in 2017 and hit their lowest point in 2018, with a 4.5-fold difference between these years. In 2020, Moldova exported 14 tons of mushrooms and truffles, down 12.8% from the previous year. The minimum value was 8 tons in 2018. The largest decline occurred in 2018, at 77.6%, while the biggest increase was in 2019, at 121.3%.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Moldova in kind, 2017-2020, t

From 2017 to 2020, Russia and Romania consistently made up 92.9% of Moldova's total exports of mushrooms and truffles by volume, showing a high level of market concentration, with the rest spread across many smaller markets.

Structure of product's exports in kind by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's exports from Moldova in kind, 2017-2020

Exports in value, K $ US

The data reveals irregular changes, indicating a volatile market. The period from 2017 to 2018 saw a peak-to-trough swing of 5.3 times. In 2020, Moldova's exports of mushrooms and truffles totaled 23 thousand US dollars, up 14.6% from the year before. The minimum value was 11 thousand US dollars in 2018. The largest drop was in 2018, at 81.1%, while the biggest rise was in 2019, at 85.3%.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Moldova in value, 2017-2020, K $ US

Between 2017 and 2020, Russia and Romania remained the main buyers of Moldova's mushrooms and truffles, accounting for 95.4% of total export value. The remaining share was fragmented among other countries.

Structure of product's exports in value by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's exports from Moldova in value, 2017-2020

Imports mushrooms and truffles to Moldova

Imports in kind, t

The market showed an unstable trend over this period. Imports reached their highest point in 2018 and fell to their lowest in 2020, with a 3.8-fold variation. In 2020, Moldova imported 284 tons of mushrooms and truffles, a sharp decrease of 61.3% compared to the previous year. The maximum value was 1 076 tons in 2018. The largest increase was recorded in 2018, at 144.1%.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Moldova in kind, 2017-2020, t

From 2017 to 2020, Ukraine was the overwhelmingly dominant supplier of mushrooms and truffles to Moldova, making up 91.4% of total imports by volume.

Structure of product's imports in kind by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's imports to Moldova in kind, 2017-2020

Imports in value, K $ US

Volatility marked the market during these years. Imports peaked in 2018 and bottomed out in 2020, with a 3.2-fold difference. In 2020, Moldova's imports of mushrooms and truffles amounted to 375 thousand US dollars, a dramatic decline of 57.5% from the previous year. The maximum value was 1 194 thousand US dollars in 2018. The largest increase occurred in 2018, at 184.6%.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Moldova in value, 2017-2020, K $ US

In the 2017–2020 period, Ukraine accounted for 89.8% of the total value of Moldova's mushroom and truffle imports, with the rest distributed among multiple smaller partners.

Structure of product's imports in value by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's imports to Moldova in value, 2017-2020