The fresh orange yield in Turkey for 2021-22 is forecast to increase 40% to 1.82 million metric tons (MMT) due to favorable rainy weather conditions, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) reported. However, in recent months, producers have become concerned about drought conditions affecting the quality of the fruit.
In 2020-21, Turkey produced 1.3 MMT of oranges. Orange production accounted for 31% of Turkey’s total citrus production that year.
Turkey produces mostly the Washington variety of oranges, with that variety accounting for 70% of total orange production. Eighty-five percent of oranges are produced in the Mediterranean region while 15% are produced in the Aegean region.
The Mediterranean fruit fly remains a major concern. Producers are planning to harvest and sell their products much earlier than normal in order to prevent exposure to the harmful flies. In addition, the input costs for items such as fertilizer, fuel and pesticides are still considered too high while farm gate prices are too low to compensate for the high production costs.
The number of orchards has been decreasing for the last three years as producers convert orchard land or determine profits are not great enough to invest in fertilizer and pesticides. In 2020-21, orange orchards accounted for 29% of total citrus orchard areas.
CONSUMPTION
In 2021-22, orange consumption is expected to increase to 1,488 MMT in correlation with high production expectations. In 2020-21, orange consumption was 1,018 metric tons (MT) in correlation with lower production. Orange consumption reportedly has shrunk 17% over the last five years. In Turkey, oranges account for 49% of total citrus consumption.
EXPORTS AND IMPORTS
Orange exports in 2021-22 are expected to increase 20% to 265,000 MT when compared with the previous season. In 2020-21, Turkey exported 220,630 MT of oranges. Russia, Iraq and Ukraine are the main Turkish orange export markets.
According to exporters, varieties and fruit quality need to be improved, and new markets such as China, South Korea and the United States need to be opened in order to make profits from exports.
Orange imports In 2021-22 are expected to stagnate at 43,000 MT. Turkey imported 43,628 MT of oranges in 2020-21, and 98% of the orange imports came from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
See the full FAS report on citrus in Turkey.
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service
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