Apricot Yield Drops in Malatya, Prices Disappoint Farmers
· GıdaTarım
Malatya's dried apricot yield has fallen to 67,000 tons due to adverse weather conditions, widening the gap between producer floor prices and metropolitan retail prices.
Sharp Climate-Induced Drop in Yield
According to data shared by Yunus Kılıç, Provincial Coordination Head of Malatya Chamber of Agriculture, the dried apricot yield, which normally stands around 120-130 thousand tons, has dropped to 67,418 tons this season. The primary reasons for this sharp decline were the permanent damage caused by last year's frost to the fruit buds and the heavy rainfall during the flowering stage, which negatively impacted pollination. Apricots, which bloom early in March, are among the most sensitive crops to climate risks.
Prices Turn into a Chasm from Farm to Table
Despite the market's reduced supply, the price mechanism continues to operate against the producer. In Malatya, a kilogram of standard dried apricot leaves the producer at around 250 TL, while larger and gift-packaged products can reach a maximum of 350 TL. In contrast, the retail price of the geographically indicated product exceeds 1000 TL per kilogram at nut shops in Istanbul. In the European market, the product reaches approximately 40 Euros per kilogram, or about 2,250 TL, multiplying the farmgate price by nine.
Producers Concerned About Next Season
The prices, which multiply along the intermediary chain, and the sharp drop in yield are directly eroding the grower's income, threatening sustainable production. The failure of the general market rule, where prices rise with decreased supply, to apply to Malatya apricots is pushing farmers, already burdened by rising input costs, into a deadlock. This deep devaluation and instability, both in the domestic and global markets, damages the brand value of Malatya apricots while making it impossible for producers to plan for the upcoming season.