Peach and Nectarine Exports Target $400 Million

September 16, 2026 · Tarım Pusulası

Turkey's peach and nectarine exports surged by 134% to $343.4 million in eight months, leading to an upward revision of the season-end export target to over $400 million.

According to data from the Aegean Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters' Association, Turkey's peach and nectarine exports reached $343.4 million in the January-August period of 2026. The export volume, which was 82,375 tons in the same period of 2025, increased to 184,356 tons in 2026. This represents a 124% increase in volume and a 134% increase in value. The association, which started the season with a target of $250 million, raised its season-end target to over $400 million following the successful foreign trade performance.

Cengiz Balık, Chairman of the Aegean Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters' Association, stated that adverse weather conditions and climate pressures in 2025 caused production to fall to 642,000 tons. According to Balık, production recovered in the 2026 production season, exceeding 1 million tons again. With production rising from a past 455,000 tons to 1.18 million tons, Turkey ranked third globally, and the long-term export target has been set at $500 million.

With this record increase, the peach and nectarine group has climbed to second place in fresh fruit and vegetable exports, surpassing critical items like tomatoes, peppers, and lemons, and ranking just behind mandarins. Association records show that during the eight-month period, peach exports amounted to $154.2 million and nectarine exports to $189.2 million. Turkey exported peaches to 60 countries and nectarines to 58 countries during this period, achieving a 4% increase in average export prices in dollar terms.

The Russian Federation and Iraq emerged as clear leaders in export markets. For peaches, Iraq ranked first with $72.5 million, followed by Russia with $65.5 million; exports to Romania and Ukraine each amounted to $3.5 million. In nectarine exports, Russia topped the list with $97 million, followed by Iraq with $69 million, Romania with $6.8 million, and Ukraine with $5.2 million.

Türkçe