Turkish cherry campaign expected to start a week earlier
According to the Turkish agricultural department in a normal year the country currently produces a total of around 400,000 tonnes of cherries per season. For its part, Alanar owns 60 hectares of young plantations which produce approximately 300 tonnes, but it also purchases cherries from small growers in almost every producing region. Alanar Fruıt Comp’s strength is due to 550 hectare comp orchards for stonefruits and pomegranates. These processes are managed by Alara’s two separate firms: Alara Nursery and Alanar Fruit Company.
Yavuz Taner, CEO of Alanar Fruit Comp, assures that the impact of the recent hail storms that hit part or the cherry regions, spring frost was felt mostly by the region of Malatya’s apricot growers, but as regards cherries, which are produced in 70% of Turkey at different altitudes and climatic conditions, the extent of the damages has not been truly significant and a normal season is still expected.
In fact, Turkish cherry trees are in full bloom and some of the earlier varieties have already started bearing some fruit. The harvest of the 0900 Ziraat, which is the most common variety for export, generally begins in the last week of May and this year it is expected to start a week earlier, as long as the weather conditions remain stable. Production volumes, according to Mr Taner, should be satisfactory.
Alanar’s main export destinations are Europe and Russia, and to a lesser extent the Far East, where it ships by air. For the early part of the season, California is the greatest competitor in the Far East, but “we are informed that their fruit is a little bit late and also affected by the weather conditions, which should definitely favour us,” affirms Yavuz Taner.
For more information:
Yavuz Taner
www.alarafidan.com.tr
www.alanar.com.tr