Sales of Turkish pomegranates have been sluggish in recent weeks, but with the holidays approaching, Yeliz Kaya of Green Ova expects demand to pick up. "The advantage is that Turkey can supply pomegranates until March, whereas supplies from Egypt, Spain, and Morocco end earlier."
© Green Ova
"Turkey's production is much lower this year due to last summer's hot weather. As a result, prices are relatively high and, with the holidays coming up, I expect sales to increase."
"The upside is that Turkish pomegranate varieties are highly valued in the market. Along with figs, they are actually the only products for which higher prices are paid compared to other origins. At the moment, selling prices are around EUR 6.50 for 3.5 kilos, but prices will only rise further. All the pomegranates have now been harvested, so storage costs are coming in," Yeliz says.
Green Ova receives two truckloads of Turkish produce every week. "I sell Turkish products to wholesalers and supermarkets all over Europe, from Belgium, Germany, Austria, and Croatia to Estonia. Demand from France is also very strong at the moment. There used to be some MRL issues with Turkish pomegranates, but we now guarantee a food-safe product through additional testing. Moreover, our suppliers are Smeta and Grasp certified," Yeliz explains.
© Green Ova
She also sees opportunities for Turkish peppers. "I think the quality of Turkish peppers is still undervalued in Europe compared to Spanish and Moroccan peppers, even though they are certainly not inferior. Turkish peppers have a long shelf life and are comparable to Dutch peppers. Given the current transport issues in Spain, I expect opportunities will definitely arise for Turkish peppers. For now, these mostly go from Turkey to Poland and Germany."
"We also expect demand for Turkish tomatoes to increase, as lower supplies are expected from Spain and Morocco. At the moment, prices for Turkish tomatoes remain relatively high. We have also resumed sales of Turkish onions, and demand for Turkish leeks is beginning to pick up. We mainly supply these to processors. Last year, demand stayed low, but this season, demand for Turkish leeks is already increasing."
For more information:
Yeliz Kaya
Green Ova
Aartsdijkweg 97
2676 LE Maasdijk
M: +31 (0) 6 15941247
[email protected]
www.green-ova.com
