We’re only weeks away from the new cherry season in Turkey. The season is promising to be an exciting one, as China has finally opened its doors for Turkish cherries by changing some of the requirements. One Turkish exporter sees a lot of opportunities this year.
The Turkish exporters of Alanar are ready for the new cherry season. Yigit Gokyigit is the sales manager for Alanar, he is expecting a great season: “This year we will make a push to really increase our market share, so exciting times are ahead of us. There are real opportunities for us to get a better foothold in the Canadian, Far East Asian and Indian market. China has also changed their regulations, removing the requirement for produce to be stored in cold stores for weeks on end. Cherries are a delicate fruit, so staying in cold storages for that long would really damage the product. Only a few Turkish companies are allowed to export to China, and Alanar is the leading one of them. This is really good for us, as the demand for cherries is very high there. In Hong Kong, 70 per cent of the Turkish cherries are imported through Alanar.”
When comparing the upcoming season to the previous one, Alanar has taken steps to increase the volumes that are harvested: “This year we expect to harvest about 20 per cent more than we did last season. Next year our new facility will have been built, which should double our capacity of exporting cherries. TO ensure we actually reach our goals we have to protect the fruit. Climate change is noticeable every year and although our workers might have a harder time in the field, we’re fully prepared. We are also covering all of our orchards with netting to protect them from the rain and potential hail.” Gokyigit explains.
Although the Turkish cherries will find their way towards China, India and Canada more this year, the biggest market for Alanar remains Germany: “We supply all the big supermarkets in Germany and expect them to take the largest amount of cherries this year,” Gokyigit says. “When talking about our exports to India, this will actually be our first time exporting cherries there. Last year we already exported a nice volume of Japanese plums, so we’re now a bit more familiar to the region. This is why we feel it’s time to introduce them to our high quality cherries this season.”
When asked about the challenges for the cherries, Gokyigit names China: “Since the Chinese market is a new one for us, naturally it will be challenging, it’s a huge market with a big demand for the cherries. Alanar Fruit Company with the presence of Chairman of the BOD – Yavuz TANER recently visited China for two weeks. Here he learned everything he could about the Chinese their needs and requirements. The fact our chairman made this visit himself, I think shows that we take this new market very serious on a high level in our management. This makes sense, as the United States used to supply the Chinese with their cherries. Due to the political issues between the two countries, we feel our Turkish cherries could fill the gap that the US is leaving behind.” Gokyigit concludes.
For more information:
Yigit Gokyigit
Alanar
Mobile: +90 549 804 87 56
Email: [email protected]
www.alanar.com.tr
