Turkish cherry output has grown exponentially over the last 15 years and investments in production have certainly paid off, with volumes progressing from 186,000 tonnes in 1995 to more than 330,000t in 2008. Turkey is the world’s largest cherry producer and competes with the US for the title of the largest cherry exporter in the world.
A number of Turkish cherry growers have signalled their intention to increase their production substantially in the coming years.
Deniz Altinalev, head of the agriculture department for the Export Promotion Centre of Turkey, says the country is blessed with good soils and a highly favourable climate. The bulk of cherries are available from mid-May until the end of July, but following the introduction of new early varieties from California and late varieties from Canada, the season has been extended from April through to August. The main variety grown for export is Ziraat 0900 (also known as Napoleon), but producers are also investing in late varieties including Sweetheart.
However, despite impressive growth in recent years, it has not all been plain sailing and cherry producers faced a number of challenges last year. Indeed, output fell substantially from 398,000t in 2007 to 338,000t in 2008. Growers attributed the lower volumes to the over-cropping of trees in the previous year followed by bouts of rain in the flowering period, as well as pollination issues.
Fortunately, it appears to be a different story for this season and insiders are predicting a comeback from last year’s blip. Turkish cherry harvesting began at the end of May and according to insiders, the crop set is good, while quality and size expectations are high.
“The Turkish winter was cold and long, which has been great for the cherry trees for fulfilling the chilling hour requirements,” says Kerim Taner, who heads up cherry producer and exporter Alara.
Spring weather provided good conditions during the pollination period, including significant rainfall. And customers should be able to enjoy cherries for longer because the season has been extended as more regions invest in cherry production.
Alara is the country’s largest cherry producer and has more than 20 years’ experience in supplying the UK market. The firm anticipates doubling its UK volumes this season. “It was a quiet year in 2008 due to a short and lower volume crop,” Taner explains. “We will continue growing in the UK market and keep our leading position strong.”
The exporter intends to do this by delivering points of difference in consumer packaging, offering sustainable, top-quality deliveries and prolonging the supply period with its own orchards. Indeed, Alara claims to have the longest cherry supply season in Turkey. Taner insists that the firm has the highest daily capacity to deliver the volumes to its retail customers, according to its set programmes.
Back in December 2007, Univeg became a major shareholder in Alara and Taner says that the firm is now fully integrated with the Univeg group, enabling it to deliver the most efficient and effective cost structure.
“The UK is our priority market,” Taner says. Alara has some new early and late cherry varieties this season, which will be offered to its UK customers.
Despite the bright outlook, there are challenges in the UK but Taner says these are similar to the difficulties faced in other export markets. The recession is resulting in slower sales and more price-conscious consumers. In addition, there is increasing competition for shelf space.
“Cherries are impulse purchase products,” Taner says. “We will plan many attractive promotions with the right affordable consumer price points; the offer should be attractive, as well as our cherries.”
Taner insists that the weak sterling will not have a negative impact on exports as the Turkish lira is running parallel to it. Indeed, he says that Turkey will have a competitive advantage compared to those countries dealing in euros and dollars.
Exporter Eren Tarim is hoping to make headway in the UK this season, according to export manager Beste Yildiz. “We are in regular contact with UK importers and we ship a range of vegetables to the UK already, so hopefully we will make progress this season,” she tells FPJ.
Eren Tarim exports cherries to the Netherlands, Germany and a few eastern European markets including the Czech Republic and Slovenia. The Mersin-based producer grows cherries on the west coast of Turkey, in Izmir. “We are delivering around four or five trucks of cherries a week at the moment and this will increase as the season moves forward,” says Yildiz.
She reports “very good-quality” fruit and says that Eren Tarim will be increasing both production and production capacity this season.
According to the US department of agriculture, Turkey’s main cherry export markets are the UK and Germany, while gains have also been made in Russia in recent years. Key growing areas include Afyon, Isparta and Niğde and other cherry-producing regions are Iznik, Bursa, Kemalpaşa (Izmir), çanakkale, Denizli, Manisa, Konya and çankiri provinces.
Karabey Orchards exports significant cherry volumes to the UK and the producer has invested heavily in its modern cherry orchards since 2003. Its orchards are located in Yalova and Salihli and some 125,000 cherry trees have been planted in Salihli. This compares to 20,000 trees in Yalova, which are spread out over 180 hectares.
Karabey plans to harvest around 600t of cherries this year and has ambitious plans for the future. Ultimately, it wants to produce some 2,500t a year from half a million cherry trees. The producer has recently invested in a 7,000sqm coldstorage facility that will allow it to harvest and pack its cherries.
Meanwhile, producer and exporter Cena handles a wide range of fruits including cherries, sultana grapes, citrus, pomegranates and figs. The company exported 2,000t of cherries in 2006 and claims to be among the biggest cherry exporters in Turkey.
Cena is keen to promote Ziraat 0900. “Our cherries are considered the finest quality in the world,” says a company spokesperson. “Ziraat is big in size, has aromatic, crunchy flesh, dark-red berries and is very high quality.”
The producer’s main markets are retailers in Germany and Australia, although it has also established good trade links with the UK, the Netherlands and Italy. It is also increasing its activities in Moscow and St Petersburg.
Turkish cherry exporters are seeking opportunities in the UK and are optimistic that prospects for this season’s campaign will blossom.
GOVERNMENT FOCUSES ON AGRICULTURE
The Turkish government has identified agriculture as a growth sector and plans to prioritise agriculture in the east of the country.
Prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced two-year measures in early June that will allow investors to apply for free la nd. They will be taxed at a reduced corporate tax rate of two per cent, instead of the usual 25 per cent.
Under the $39 billion (£24bn) plan, the government will encourage investments in agriculture in the poorest provinces.
According to a recent report by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Turkish agricultural sector employs 25 per cent of the labour force and the industry needs to improve by “adopting new technology and switching to new equipment”.
Meanwhile, the agricultural ministry has joined forces with Denizbank, Turkey’s sixth-largest private bank, to launch the initiative Agricultural Mobilisation. This project will run for four months and aims to create additional support for farmers through incentives and new facilities.
“This is a project that will make very important contributions to the sector,” says agriculture minister Mehmet Mehdi Eker.
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