Unfavourable weather conditions in April threaten to derail the Turkish cherry season before it has even begun, with unseasonably cold weather persisting in Kütahya and Eskisehir in the west, in Ankara and Kırıkkale in central Turkey, in Mugla in the southwest and in Bursa in the northwest. Semsi Bayraktar, head of the Union of Agricultural Chambers of Turkey (TZOB), warned farmers of the continued threat of severe frosts during the April flowering period.
Indeed, it is the timing of the cold weather that is the chief concern for Turkish growers, since low temperatures themselves are actually vital for the healthy development of the fruit. “The long and snowy winter helped fulfill the required number of chilling hours,” says Kerim Taner, CEO of Alara. “We therefore expect good quality and sizing this year.”
During the blossoming period, however, the crop is at its most vulnerable to surprising bouts of snowfall. “Flowering has already started in the early regions, but the temperatures are still cooler than normal, which could cause delays to the harvest by up to a week,” says Taner. “But we anticipate a long harvesting period this campaign.”
The government offers a delay in agricultural loan debts throughout the year for farmers whose crops are damaged from frost and other natural disasters, reports Turkey’s Daily Sabah. However, this remains the sole option for farmers seeking to recover their losses. Bayraktar has therefore urged farmers to take preventative measures against frost. Farmers often resort to burning hay in orchards or covering the area to minimise damage from frost. Bayraktar said they needed to adopt more modern techniques such as installing large fans to alter orchard temperatures.
