We are very pleased to announce the launching of a new report on the Romanian horticultural sector, with a strong focus on greenhouses. The report was commissioned by the LAN-office in Bucharest to Verde AG and offers a valuable picture of the status, developments, challenges and opportunities in this sector in Romania.
Main findings
The horticultural sector in Romania is currently under strong development and offers good prospects for cooperation and B2B, K2B and K2K levels.
Romania offers fertile land, a favourable climate, and higher winter solar radiation, supporting productive, year-round greenhouse cultivation and a variety of open-field crops. Low land and labour costs, along with strong domestic demand and strategic access to European markets, further strengthen the sector’s positive prospects.
Romania's agricultural sector struggles with incomplete transportation and logistics infrastructure, as well as highly fragmented small farms that hinder investment and scaling. Unstable regulations and frequent legislative changes are downsides, while inefficiencies — including inadequate cold storage, packaging, and poor coordination between growers, processors, and authorities — are limiting progress and competitiveness.
Romania is poised to leverage EU funding and knowledge transfer to modernise production, adopt innovative climate technologies, and expand value-added processing facilities. There is substantial room to grow operations for both domestic and export markets, diversify crop portfolios, and introduce advanced value-added facilities and logistics solutions.
Threats include intense competition from imports, especially from Turkey, which continues to depress prices and challenge local profitability. The sector faces demographic challenges: an ageing farmer population, rural depopulation, and a shortage of qualified agricultural staff. Additionally, macroeconomic volatility along with bureaucratic burdens can slow down the enthusiasm of both domestic and foreign investors. Low rates of research and innovation adoption further endanger future adaptation and competitiveness.
Opportunities!
Opportunities can be found mainly in the area of turnkey greenhouses and green energy.
But the sector offers also other chances:
Would you like to learn more? The report can be downloaded here (in Dutch).
With thanks to Andrei Beca of Verde AG, Wageningen master student.
We are very happy to be of support in your exploration to reveal opportunities for you or your business.
LAN Team Bucharest (BKR-LVVN@minbuza.nl).