Türkiye has exported practically $330 million price of apricots over the previous 5 years, underscoring the significance of the fruit that has been among the many most severely broken by extreme frost earlier this month.
The chilly snap not solely devastated apricots, but in addition prompted vital hurt to peaches, apples, nectarines, in addition to essential hazelnut and walnut harvests.
Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumaklı just lately visited the japanese province of Malatya, Türkiye’s main apricot-producing area, the place he confirmed seen harm to fruit timber.
Yumaklı stated the federal government had launched restoration efforts geared toward restoring tree well being and guaranteeing subsequent 12 months’s yield.
Türkiye exported $55.6 million price of apricots in 2020, in keeping with information from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat).
That determine rose to $61.8 million in 2021 and peaked at $82.6 million in 2022 earlier than dropping to $58.6 million in 2023. Shipments rebounded final 12 months, leaping 20.4% to $70.6 million.
Between 2020 and 2024, whole exports reached $329.3 million, with Russia being the highest purchaser, importing $179.4 million price of Turkish apricots.
Union of Turkish Chambers of Agriculture (TZOB) board member Yunus Kılıç, who takes care of apricot crops within the Malatya Basin, described the frost harm as catastrophic.
“Malatya has been the hardest hit,” Kılıç advised Anadolu Agency (AA). “Every single apricot tree in the province has been affected.”
Apricots are additionally cultivated within the neighboring provinces of Elazığ, Kahramanmaraş and Sivas. The area is residence to roughly 13 million apricot timber, all of which have reportedly sustained harm.
“Right now, not a single tree is bearing fruit. The damage is total – 100%,” Kılıç added.
Türkiye sometimes produces about 750,000 tons of contemporary apricots yearly, making it the world’s largest producer. However, this 12 months’s output has plunged to an estimated 10,000 tons, in keeping with Kılıç.
Damage assessments are ongoing, and Kılıç welcomed authorities plans to reimburse farmers for his or her annual manufacturing prices. He additionally known as for mortgage restructuring for money owed owed by farmers to Ziraat Bank and Agricultural Credit Cooperatives.
“These adjustments would provide crucial support to the sector,” he stated. “The goal is to help producers return to full-scale production next year. Farmers are also being trained on how to care for damaged trees to encourage recovery and fruiting in the next season.”
Source: www.dailysabah.com