As Turkish apple season gets underway, Salix Fruits says expectations are running high among growers and receivers across various markets, as the company gets ready to deliver a fresh crop.
During travel through Adana, Karaman, Isparta, and the northwest region in Turkey, the Salix Fruits team saw professional preparations underway in orchards, setting the tone for a promising season, according to a news release.
Following a successful 2022, the overall crop forecast for the 2023 season isn’t entirely clear on for volume, the company said.
Preliminary indicators suggest that export volume might be a little slower this season, the release said, because of localized hail incidents and some growers expecting different degrees of black-spot issues.
“This could mean a bit less Cat 1 action and more fruit cozying up to the domestic market or industry,” the release said. “Also, some more russeting can be seen in the orchards around Egirdir after a month of heavy rains.”
“Yet, we’re still looking at a good volume of high-quality fruit for export markets,” Javier Orti, Salix Fruits’ sales manager for Asia, said in the release. “Regarding the opening prices for the season, packers are seeing some pressure on production cost from farmers, though there is still some uncertainty due to inflation and exchange rate fluctuations.”
The red delicious variety will have a prominent role, with India standing as a key destination market, and gala is growing every year with new orchards coming into production, especially in the Karaman/Nigde area, according to the release.
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“Growers are expecting to start harvesting around the last days of August to the second week of September depending on the area,” Orti said. “Good granny smith will be available, especially from the northwest region including the Challenger variety, with good potential for Southeast Asia.”
Salix Fruits will also offer fuji, pinks, and golden delicious apples.
“Taking a global view, India has seen a significant growth in the past five years. This season demand will be good, as the local crop is quite short,” the company said. “There is some concern regarding the comeback of Washington apples after the reduction in import duties, but still, Turkish red delicious has earned its place in the Indian market at a more competitive price point.”
The Middle East stands as a pivotal market for diverse apple varieties, with Southeast Asia emerging as a robust growth sector, particularly for gala and granny smith, according to the release. Latin America and Thailand have emerged as compelling avenues for exploration, projecting a landscape of potential and growth, the company said.
“Other products that we ship from Turkey include cherries and stone fruit (season just ended), figs (starting now), pomegranates (expected to start next month) and citrus (starting with the first lemons in September),” Orti said. “We are already discussing programs with our customers, looking forward to a great season.”
About Salix Fruits
Salix Fruits is a global import-export company of fresh fruit with more than 15 years of experience in the business. The company has a portfolio of over 25 produce items but focuses on apples, lemons, oranges, mandarins, pears and grapes.
The company works with more than 80 loyal producers in 18 countries and 400 customers in 57 countries.
