How much do flowers cost in Moldova and why do prices change?
We analyze how flower imports and prices changed in Moldova, where the flowers come from and what influences the price of a bouquet.
Why can a rose cost 50 lei in one period and 80–90 lei in another? Why are tulips more affordable in one month and more expensive before March 8? And how much has Moldova's flower market really changed in recent years?
The price of a bouquet is not just the number of flowers. Behind it is a whole chain of costs: production, import, international transport, cold storage, product losses, labour, packaging and delivery.
We analyzed import data for cut flowers, prices reported in Chișinău over different years and a few of the economic factors that influence the final price.
Flower imports into Moldova nearly tripled in value
World Integrated Trade Solution data, based on UN Comtrade, shows a clear trend for category HS 060310 – fresh cut flowers and buds.
| Year | Import value | Quantity | Average declared value/kg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | USD 4.47 m | 456,000 kg | ~USD 9.80/kg |
| 2021 | USD 6.93 m | 657,000 kg | ~USD 10.55/kg |
| 2022 | USD 7.57 m | 670,000 kg | ~USD 11.30/kg |
| 2023 | USD 10.14 m | 773,000 kg | ~USD 13.12/kg |
| 2024 | USD 12.52 m | almost 1 m kg | ~USD 12.52/kg |
Between 2020 and 2024, the declared import value grew by about 180%, while the imported quantity grew by about 119%. The average declared value per kilogram rose by about 28%. Data source: wits.worldbank.org
Important: the average value per kilogram is not the price of a rose or a bouquet in a flower shop. It is a customs average for a broad category of flowers with different varieties, stem lengths and quality levels.
Still, the data shows something relevant: the market has become significantly larger, both in volume and in value.
Where do the flowers sold in Moldova come from?
In 2024, the two most important sources were:
- The Netherlands – about USD 5.45 million;
- Ecuador – about USD 5.10 million.
Together, the two countries accounted for over 80% of the import value in the analyzed category, followed by Kenya, Ethiopia and Colombia.
This explains why flower prices in Chișinău do not depend only on what happens in Moldova. A rose from Ecuador or a flower traded through the Netherlands must pass through an international logistics chain before it reaches a vase in Chișinău.
How the prices buyers see have changed
For comparison, we can use a few public snapshots from the period before March 8.
In March 2021, Jurnal.md reported in Chișinău:
- tulips: 20–25 lei per stem;
- roses: 50–60 lei per stem;
- chrysanthemums: about 35 lei per stem;
- a tulip arrangement: about 400 lei.
In March 2023, AgroTV reported:
- tulips: 25–40 lei;
- roses: 70–90 lei;
- bouquets: roughly 200–800 lei.
In March 2024, observations at the capital's markets showed:
- tulips: about 25–30 lei;
- roses: 50–80 lei, depending on stem length.
These figures should not be read as an official flower price index. They are different sellers, different varieties and different quality levels. In fact, even the 2023 reports show different ranges for tulips and roses depending on the vendor and the product.
The more accurate conclusion is that there is no single "price of a rose". A 40 cm rose and a premium 80–100 cm rose are not the same product.
Why do flowers get more expensive before holidays?
Around dates like February 14, March 8, September 1 or Teacher's Day, demand concentrates in a very short window. Flower shops must order larger quantities in advance, and suppliers and growers operate in a market where the same demand spike happens simultaneously in several countries.
There is also the industry-specific risk: flowers are perishable. If a shop orders too little, it loses orders. If it orders too much, part of the stock may no longer be sellable at the expected quality. That loss has to be priced into the shop's economics.
A bouquet is not just flowers
The final price can include:
- The flower itself. Variety, country of origin, stem length and season change the purchase price.
- International transport. For many flowers, the time between cutting and selling is critical.
- The cold chain. Flowers must be kept in proper conditions so they don't lose freshness.
- Losses. Not every flower a shop buys ends up being sold.
- The florist's work. A bouquet is not just a sum of stems. Flowers are selected, cleaned, prepared and arranged.
- Packaging. Paper, boxes, ribbons, floral foam and other materials add to the cost.
- Delivery. The courier, the car and the fuel are one more component.
Fuel matters more than it seems
In 2022, ANRE reported for COR 95 petrol: an annual minimum of 21.30 lei/litre, a maximum of 33.90 lei/litre and an annual average of 26.55 lei/litre. On October 12, 2026, the maximum retail price for 95 petrol was 33.91 lei/litre. Source: anre.md
This does not mean a 10% petrol increase automatically raises a bouquet's price by 10%. Delivery is only one component. But for a shop making dozens of trips across Chișinău every day, fuel is not a negligible cost.
What about inflation?
The general economy matters too. The National Bureau of Statistics shows that the average annual inflation rate in 2025 was 7.76%, and in September 2026 consumer prices were 8.6% higher than in September 2025. Source: statistica.gov.md
Again, general inflation cannot be used as a flower price index. But it influences many things around the product: salaries, energy, services, rent, transport, packaging and other operating costs.
Why a 1,000 lei bouquet is not necessarily "twice" a 500 lei bouquet
Comparing only by the number of flowers can be misleading. Two bouquets with the same number of stems can cost differently because they use:
- different varieties;
- flowers of different lengths;
- flowers from different origins;
- different amounts of greenery;
- different packaging;
- different levels of complexity.
In some products, the flower is the largest part of the cost. In others, building the arrangement is far more complex.
What can we say with certainty after the 2020–2026 data?
Moldova's flower market is bigger today than it was in 2020. The import value of cut flowers alone grew from about USD 4.47 million in 2020 to USD 12.52 million in 2024, and the quantity approached one million kilograms a year.
At the same time, the buyer does not pay only for the flower. The price includes an entire infrastructure that must carry a highly perishable product from grower to recipient, sometimes in just a few hours.
So when comparing flower prices between years or between shops, the correct comparison must account for variety, length, origin, season, number of stems, packaging and the delivery service.
Main sources for this analysis: UN Comtrade/WITS, the National Bureau of Statistics, ANRE and public reports from the Chișinău flower market.
