Turkey Expects 54% Increase in Grape Production

September 23, 2026 · Gıda Bülteni

Following drought and frost losses last year, grape yields are projected to reach 3.85 million tons as rainfall recovers.

Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı announced that grape production in Turkey is expected to reach 3.85 million tons this year during the grape harvest festival held in Ankara's Kalecik district. Yumaklı recalled that production in 2025 remained around 2.5 million tons and stated that rainfall has increased fertility in vineyards. If the ministry's estimate is realized, Turkey's grape production will grow by 1.35 million tons, a 54% increase compared to the previous year.

According to 2024 data announced by Minister İbrahim Yumaklı, Turkey ranks 7th globally in fresh grape production and holds the world leadership in raisin exports. A report by the Agricultural Economics and Policy Development Institute (TEPGE) shows that Turkey alone accounted for 31.7% of global raisin exports in 2022. Based on TEPGE's 2023 data, Manisa accounts for 36.6% of the country's production, with Mardin, Denizli, Gaziantep, Mersin, Nevşehir, Hatay, Diyarbakır, Konya, and İzmir being other significant centers.

Minister Yumaklı stated that vineyards were negatively affected by severe drought and frost disasters in February and April in 2025, but the situation reversed with rainy weather in 2026. Although the expected production of 3.85 million tons represents a significant recovery, it is not at historical record levels. According to TEPGE data, grape production in Turkey reached 4.208 million tons in the 2020/21 season and 4.165 million tons in the 2022/23 season.

Local harvest data from across the country also confirms the increase. In Hatay, 85,000 tons of grapes are expected from 50,000 decares of vineyard area, with 81,000 tons to be produced in Hassa. In Malatya's Hekimhan, producers are selling dried grapes at 600 Turkish Lira per kilogram and fresh grapes at 100 Turkish Lira. In Bursa's İznik, 30,000 tons of yield are expected from 10,000 decares for the geographically indicated Müşküle grape, with the product selling for 35 Turkish Lira per kilogram in the field.

At the Ankara University Kalecik Viticulture Research and Application Station, where Minister Yumaklı made his announcements, 153 local and foreign vine varieties are preserved. Yumaklı, who inspected the facility in Kalecik, which supplies about half of Ankara's total grape production, stated that they aim to transform grapes into value-added and branded products, in addition to increasing production volume. If the forecasts are realized, Turkey will return to high production averages.

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