Organic Grape Harvest Begins in High-Altitude Akçadağ, Malatya

September 15, 2026 · Tarım TV

In Malatya's Akçadağ district, the harvest has commenced in organic vineyards established as an alternative to apricots due to dwindling water resources, with dried grapes fetching 600 lira per kilogram and experiencing high demand.

In Akçadağ, a district of Malatya, one of Turkey's significant fruit production centers, the harvest season has begun for dried grapes cultivated on high-altitude lands. Grown on approximately 300 decares at an altitude of around 1,000 meters without any pesticides, the grapes stand out due to their high aroma and quality. These naturally produced products are bringing smiles to the faces of Akçadağ producers, attracting significant interest from both domestic and international markets.

The retail price for the harvested dried grapes is 600 lira per kilogram, and producers are struggling to meet the high volume of orders. Producer Necla Kırteke commented on the expected yield and market demand as follows:

Drought and decreasing water resources in the region have led farmers to turn to viticulture instead of apricots, which require more water. Producer Ziyaettin Kırteke shared his thoughts on the alternative product choice and the delayed season:

The grapes, meticulously harvested from the vineyards, are spread on the ground in special areas immediately after harvest for drying. Producer Ziyaettin Kırteke stated that the drying process takes approximately 5-6 days, after which the products are cleaned and placed in crates. Once the drying and sorting process, which takes about a week, is completed, the organic grapes are packaged and shipped to wholesalers and nut sellers as table-dried fruit.

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