The Turkish fresh garlic season has started on a positive note, says Kerem Tümen, export manager for Turkish fresh produce trader Tümen Tarim: "We have started harvesting our new crop of fresh green garlic. The quality of this year's crop is generally very good. Thanks to favorable weather and growing conditions, the garlic is healthy and strong. When we compare the sizes, they are similar to last year, and the overall quality is even better. We produce both violet and white spring garlic, and both varieties are looking very good this year."
Although demand is good, both domestically and internationally, Tumen emphasizes that the cost of labor is an issue at the moment. "Local demand in Turkey is strong, and we are also seeing good demand from Europe. Last season went very well, and we were satisfied with the prices. There was strong demand from many parts of the world, and we hope this year continues in a similar way. Our biggest challenge is the cost of labor. Today, the average salary for a farm worker is around €30 per day, which is higher than in many other countries. To get ahead, we try to give our customers an advantage by focusing on high-quality service, on-time delivery, and always prioritizing freshness."
"Our fresh garlic season will continue for another 30–40 days, until mid-June. After that, we will move to harvesting and preparing dry garlic. We hope the weather conditions remain good. If all goes well, we will safely harvest the dry garlic from the field, dry it properly, and store it safely in our warehouse. Two years ago, heavy rain affected the harvest, and we faced many challenges. We hope not to experience such a tragedy again this year," Tumen concludes.
For more information:
Kerem B. Tumen
Tumen Tarim
Tel: +90 324 454 0088
Mob: +90 532 593 6970
Email: [email protected]
www.tumen-tarim.com