Severe Frost Devastates Turkish Apricot, Peach and Apple Crops

A devastating frost has wreaked havoc on Türkiye’s major fruit crops, killing or damaging trees and prompting fears of long-term impacts on production and prices.

The unseasonal cold snap, which hit more than 60 of the country’s 81 provinces, has affected key fruit crops including apricots, peaches, apples, grapes and nectarines. Hazelnut and walnut harvests have also suffered, raising concerns among farmers and industry officials alike.

“There are a total 13 million apricot trees in this basin. Today, you cannot find a single fruit on the apricot trees,” said Yunus Kilic, a board member of the Union of Turkish Chambers of Agriculture (TZOB), referring to the Malatya Basin in southeastern Türkiye. “We think the damage will persist for the coming years.”

Walnut, grape, cherry and apple trees in the same region were also damaged. “This will bring price problems,” Kilic warned.

Agriculture Minister Ibrahim Yumakli confirmed widespread damage but reassured that there is no risk to the country’s overall food security. “Apricot, grape, apple, peach and nectarine crops were hit,” he said. “But major strategic crops, especially cereals, legumes and oilseeds, were not harmed and there was no supply security problem.”

The TZOB’s Chairman, Semsi Bayraktar, reported that the frost had impacted more than 60 provinces nationwide, reinforcing the scale of the disaster.

Türkiye’s fruit industry is a significant contributor to the national economy. In 2023, the country was the world’s largest producer of apricots and the leading exporter of dried apricots, shipping around 70,000 tonnes. It also ranked as the second largest exporter of peaches and nectarines and the third largest producer of apples. Apricot exports alone are worth $400 million annually, with a further $100 million generated from the domestic market.

The loss of this year’s harvest is expected to fuel price increases at a time when Türkiye is already grappling with high inflation. However, industry officials say it remains unclear how the frost damage will affect the country’s broader inflation outlook.

The Turkish central bank is due to hold a policy-setting meeting on Thursday, during which it is expected to pause interest rate cuts following recent market volatility.

Farmers, meanwhile, are calling for urgent financial support. Kilic said producers are seeking a one-year, interest-free postponement of their debts to state-owned Ziraat Bank and agricultural credit cooperatives.

Following a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that the government had begun work to compensate uninsured farmers for their losses.

Source: ESM