Moldovan apples debut on the Indian market. First commercial delivery after free access in one of the largest markets in the world

Moldovan apples have officially made their debut on the Indian market and mark an important moment for the fruit industry in the Republic of Moldova. The first commercial delivery was possible today, on March 19, 2025, after significant efforts to open the market and collaboration between the authorities, international partners and the Moldova Fruct Association.

Ms. Ana Taban, Ambassador of Moldova to India, highlighted that the approval of Moldovan apples for the Indian market is a significant achievement and a testament to the strong bilateral ties between Moldova and India.

“This is an important step for our agricultural sector and trade. We deeply appreciate the support and cooperation of the Indian authorities in making this possible. I look forward to seeing Moldovan apples enjoyed by Indian consumers,” she stated.

“Until recently, it seemed impossible to get our apples so far, but here we have the first producer and the first commercial batch of apples ready for the road. It was certainly not easy, but we succeeded together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Moldovan Embassy in India, National Agency for Food Safety, the Moldova Fruct Association and our producers – they all contributed to this success. It is a signal to all our farmers: “Come on, Moldova maybe!”. India is a new market, but a huge opportunity for the horticultural sector. The more export destinations we have, the less vulnerable we are to crises. New markets mean new customers, new contracts and, implicitly, higher incomes for producers,” said Vasile Șarban, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry.

“The Indian market, with over one billion consumers, offers a significant opportunity for Moldovan apple producers, due to the high demand for quality fruits. The expansion of exports to India diversifies the target markets and contributes to the stability of the horticultural sector. And an important advantage for Moldovan apple producers is the possibility to deliver them immediately after harvest. In the long term, maintaining a constant level of quality and increasing exported volumes will be essential for strengthening Moldova’s position on the Indian market.”, said Iurie Fală, executive director of Moldova Fruct.

Between 2023 and 2024, Fruct Grup SRL delivered about 260 tons of apples in the trial batch on the Indian market.

“Before taking the road to India, the Moldovan apples of the Red Chief variety, caliber 65+, are washed and stored in 13-14 kg boxes. The boxes are labeled according to the requirements of the country of import with the reference data of the product and palletized, and then loaded into the truck. The truck from Bilicenii Vechi in 3-4 days will arrive in Istanbul, Turkey, from where the apples will be loaded onto the ship bound for the port of Mumbai, India. The route will be covered in 30 maximum 60 days, during which the apples will be kept at a temperature of 1 degree Celsius.”, said Iurie Dogotari, director of Fruct Grup SRL.

“India is a promising market for both the present and the future. Although it is one of the world’s largest producing countries, it is also one of the world’s largest consumers. One of Moldova’s strengths, compared to other European countries, is the advanced quality of its apples, which favors its success on the Indian market. My advice to Moldovan producers is not to compromise on quality. You can always talk about price, volumes or varieties, but quality remains indisputable. The Indian market is looking for continuous, stable and high-quality deliveries over the long term and the basic requirements are high firmness and correct harvesting to ensure the perfect combination of firmness and brix.”, highlighted Nicola Zanotelli, expert of import into India.

In the 2023-2024 season, India imported more than 460 thousand tons of apples from Turkey, Iran, Poland, Italy, Afghanistan, South Africa and other countries of the world.

We remind that following the joint efforts of the Government of the Republic of Moldova,  the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry of Moldova, the Embassy of Moldova in India, National Agency for Food Safety,  development partners and the Moldova Fruct Association, the Republic of Moldova was officially approved for the export of apples to India on February 21, 2025. The decision was preceded by trial deliveries, carried out under the supervision of ANSA, during which 340 tons of apples have been exported since 2023, demonstrating the compliance of Moldovan products with Indian phytosanitary regulations.