In Kemalpasa town of Izmir, where 10% of sweet cherry production in Turkey takes place, the growers are preparing to harvest the first products of the season and to offer it to the market at 25 -30 USD per kg.
Annually around 60,000 tons of cherries is grown in Kemalpasa and the products from the area are well known for its vivid colors, big size and long shelf life. Cherries are the main source of the income for the growers in the town. Another advantage is that the cherry harvest in the area starts when there is a gap in the supply which gives the growers an early entry advantage to the market. The early harvesting “Cristobalina” variety gives the growers an opportunity to get very good prices for their products.
Grower Mustafa Ozyurt: “Because the winter was not cold and there was no frost, the quality of the first harvested products are top-notch. We will send the products to Istanbul for 25 – 30 USD price, the year has been good for us so far not only in terms of quality but also productivity. Right now we are only harvesting the “Cristobalina” variety, the rest will follow. We also hope to export quite a lot this year, exporting companies have already started meetings with us to make agreements.”
Source: AA