The Bursa-based Turkish company Alanar Fruit Comp, established in 2006 and devoted to the cultivation and export of cherries, apricots, Japanese plums, nectarines, pomegranates and figs, visited the recent edition of Asia Fruit Logistica to promote its figs, currently at the peak of the campaign. According to CEO Yavuz Taner, the fig season so far has been extraordinary. “Prices, compared to previous years, are about 20 to 25% higher; and while the volume is not as great as expected, the quality is excellent. The weather conditions are getting cooler, so the season will also be extending until the end of October.”
Mr Taner highlights the firm’s spectacular growth in this department since they started exporting in 1981. “In Europe, we started with small shipments of 100 boxes by air; the same clients are now buying full trucks. In Turkey, we have 180 varieties and only one, the Bursa black, is exported, which says a lot about how special it is.”
The fresh Bursa black fig production amounts to about 30,000 tonnes per season, with 18,000 being devoted to exports, mostly to Europe and the UK. “Russia is a developing market and Asia is quite new. Our goal here was to have people in Hong Kong taste the figs and make sure they like them, since figs have a strong skin, which makes them ideal for long distance shipments. They were hesitant, because they didn’t know what to expect. On the second day we started slicing them and then they started asking for a second one.”
He explains that the good thing about Asia Fruit Logistica is how international the visitors are, thus opening great opportunities for business. He was also surprised to find out Chinese consumers are really unfamiliar with figs, although they really liked them. “The only problem is that we don’t yet have any protocols for direct export to China; our main goal is first to have them taste them and appreciate them.”
All in all, Mr Taner is really satisfied with the result of the tastings at Asia Fruit Logistica. “Out of maybe 4,000 people I have seen and offered figs to during the last three days, only one didn’t like the texture; most even asked for a second serving. Our objective is to lower the prices as much as possible so that it will become more convenient for people to buy them. I’m a food engineer; I know how to harvest and how to handle post-harvest technologies, so our fruits will arrive in better condition and they will always be fresher for the consumer.”
For more information:
Yavuz Taner
Alanar
Tel: 0090-224-211-03-25
Mob: 0090-532-293-7229
Email yavuztaner@alarafidan.com.tr