It's difficult to find positives for the challenging Turkish cherry season, as losses are huge, says Alper Kerim, owner of Turkish fruit exporter Demir Fresh Fruits (DFF): "Looking at the current situation in Turkey, it is evident that there are simply not enough cherries produced right now. Looking at the total volumes produced, between 70 and 80 per cent of the Turkish cherries have been damaged this season."
Kerim expects that the cherry prices will go through the roof as the availability of the product will be much lower. "Naturally, as a result of these damages, the exportable volumes will be lower this season. The regions that actually have some cherries to sell will ask for very high prices. This means the exporters will simply wait for the right price to be offered, as the shortage will be felt in several markets."
So far, there have been no restrictions when it comes to selling the available cherries, as the local market is still doing well, Kerim explains. "The Turkish Government has not stepped in, as local markets are still very strong, buying the limited quantities that are available. We expect this cherry season to go by in a very quiet and calm manner. It's a shame for everyone who was excited about the current season. For us, we have cherries in our own orchards, but the harvest there is limited as well."
Overall, it seems that the Turkish cherry season wants to forget about the current season as quickly as possible. As such, Demir Fresh Fruits will move on to other fruits that have not been damaged as much. "We're now focusing on other stone fruits, such as sugar apricots, as well as peaches. Both of these products have experienced way less damage compared to the cherries. After the seasons of these stone fruits have finished, we will once again switch our focus to prepare for the new apple season," Kerim concludes.
For more information:
Alper Kerim
Demir Fresh Fruits
Tel: +90 532 514 2080
Email: [email protected]
www.dff.com.tr