CFM Raises Tariffs by 15%. Grain Exporters Demand Clarifications and Postponement

The grain exporters association "Agrocereale" has officially appealed to the state-owned enterprise "Railway of Moldova" (CFM) demanding the publication of the methodology underlying a planned 15% increase in freight transportation tariffs. Furthermore, the association insists on implementing a two-way indexation mechanism and postponing the implementation of these new tariffs until the end of the 2026/2027 marketing season.

Starting November 1, 2026, the Moldovan Railways plan to raise freight shipping rates across all four categories. According to an official statement issued on October 9, the hike is attributed to rising prices for petroleum products. However, "Agrocereale" points out that enacting this increase in the middle of the crop marketing season will directly impact the purchase prices offered to farmers.

The association explains that the price received by a farmer is determined by external market prices, from which domestic transport costs, railway shipping, handling, storage, demurrage, freight, insurance, and financing expenses are successively deducted. Under conditions where logistics costs are climbing while external prices fail to rise proportionally, this negative financial gap is transferred down the supply chain, ultimately depressing the purchase price for agricultural producers.

Citing concrete figures, the association notes that the average export price for wheat between July and September 2026 was 3.76 MDL/kg, representing an increase of about 6% compared to the previous year. Nevertheless, "Agrocereale" clarifies that most contracts already incorporate transportation and insurance costs, while the farm-gate price sits at approximately 3 MDL per kilogram.

The agricultural community expects transport authorities to engage in transparent consultations to prevent severe market distortions. Grain exporters warn that implementing steep logistical cost hikes without industry consensus threatens the competitiveness of Moldovan agricultural exports on international markets.