Moldova is a fast growing market for avocados in Eastern Europe. The rapid pace of urbanization in the country has led to the growing popularity of the fruit. As small and big cities continue to spring up, a great number of the citizens still live in the capital, Chisinau.
Avocado consumption in Moldova shows a clear upward trend. Increased consumer knowledge and awareness about the health benefits of avocado is driving sales of the fruit. Apart from that, there is a developing modern restaurant scene in Moldova which is contributing to a culture of eating avocados. The Eastern European nation is expected to bring in more avocados in the years to come.
Moldova Avocado Imports
Imported avocados are available in Moldova for most of the year as there is no avocado production in the nation. In 2023, Moldova shipped in just above 1,700 tonnes of avocado. It is an increase of 14% from the previous year.
Over the last 10 years, avocado imports in Moldova have enjoyed year on year growth. The highest jump in volume was recorded from 2017 to 2018 at 91%. The peak volume was in the year 2023 at 1,709 tonnes.
Here is the import volume of avocados in Moldova between 2012 and 2023.
Importing Avocados into Moldova
Here is a step by step guide on how to import avocados in Moldova:
Avocado Supplying Countries to Moldova
The avocado import market in Moldova is dominated by Spain. Kenya is among the top five suppliers. It has gained in market share from exporting avocados worth 10,000 US Dollars to reach almost 430,000 US Dollars in 2023. The Moldovan avocado market is made up of a diversity of sources.
The other key avocado exporting countries to Moldova are:
- Peru
- Israel
- South Africa
- Colombia
- Turkey
It also imports avocado in small volumes from countries like:
- Chile
- Mexico
- Dominican Republic
Moldova brings avocado from abroad only through its main airport. This is because it is a landlocked country. Avocados get into the country as air freight by way of the Chisinau International Airport. The airport has a cargo terminal and cold storage rooms that keep avocados fresh as they were when harvested.
How to Know Reliable Avocado Suppliers in Moldova
Avocado importers in Moldova must present the following documents for their shipment to be released by the customs office:
- Import permit
- Commercial invoice
- Packing list
- Airway Bill
- Phytosanitary Certificate
- Certificate of Origin
Sourcing Avocados from Kenya
Here are some advantages Kenya has in supplying avocados to Moldova:
- It has a longer season that lasts from February to October.
- Production costs are low therefore avocados from Kenya are competitively priced.
- Most of Kenya is covered by a sub-tropical climate which ensures consistency of quality and supply.
Average Transit Time of Importing Avocados in Moldova
| COUNTRY | AIR FREIGHT | SEA FREIGHT |
| Kenya | 7 hours 15 minutes | |
| Peru | 15 hours 45 minutes | |
| South Africa | 10 hours 40 minutes |
Here is a top avocado exporter in Kenya.
Freshela Exporters
Freshela is a Kenyan based company that engages in the sourcing, processing and exporting of avocados and other fresh produce.
Freshela is a proud exporter of Kenyan avocados. We source avocados from our company farm and partner farms.
We give competitive pricing to our customers and guarantee reliable delivery time.
We use a modern grading machine to achieve desired avocado weight. The fruit is also graded to eliminate any with physical quality defects.
We pack avocado fruit for both air and sea freights. All of our avocado packing is approved by FDA and is certified by HACCP Quality Assurance.