In a regional and international context marked by the decline of Moldova’s exports, the United States has become one of the few markets where bilateral trade has grown significantly over the past two years, as cited by BANI.md. This growth has been driven entirely by Moldovan exports. Economic analyst Veaceslav Ionita presented this data on Friday, April 18, during the “Economic Analysis with Veaceslav Ionita” program at IDIS “Viitorul.”
According to the expert, between 2023 and 2024, Moldova increased its exports to the US by 38.7 million dollars (a growth of 75.2 percent), reaching a historic high of 90.2 million dollars in 2024. At the same time, trade with most traditional partners declined. In total, only six external markets recorded growth, and the US stood out as one of the most dynamic and valuable, both in terms of volume and the local content of exported products.
“While Moldova’s total exports dropped by 1 billion dollars over these two years, exports to the US grew steadily. This is particularly remarkable given that, during this period, the new US president, Donald Trump, imposed trade tariffs on Moldova,” Ionita stated.
The structure of exports also changed significantly. In previous years, locally produced goods held only a modest share. However, in 2024, nearly 20 percent of Moldova’s total alcoholic beverage exports were destined for the US. The most spectacular growth was seen in vermouth exports. In 2024, Moldova became the sixth-largest vermouth exporter in the world, with a 5.6 percent share of the global market and exports totaling 43.8 million dollars—99 percent of which were delivered to the US. “One in every five bottles of vermouth imported to the US is produced in Moldova,” Ionita emphasized.
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Moldova also improved its bilateral trade balance with the US considerably. In the past, Moldova imported three to four times more than it exported. But in 2024, the coverage ratio of imports by exports rose to 66.7 percent. In absolute terms, Moldova–US trade reached 225 million dollars last year, with 90 million in Moldovan exports and 135 million in imports.
Ionita pointed out that beyond the impressive figures, the sustainability of these exports is what truly matters. “Unlike exports to the Czech Republic, where we send processed components made from foreign raw materials, our exports to the US consist of authentic Moldovan products with added local value.”
In conclusion, Veaceslav Ionita called on the authorities in Chisinau to identify and support the exporters who made this achievement possible. “It is essential for the government to support these economic agents and to create conditions for this positive trend to continue. The US can become one of the most important markets for high-quality Moldovan products.”