Turkey a world leader in fruit production

Almost any type of fruit can be grown in Turkey due to its geographic location and favorable climate. Apples and grapes are the most widely grown fruit in Turkey, which ranks ninth in the world in fruit production.

Turkey produces 3.5 million tons of grapes and 2 million tons of apples, 340,000 tons of pears, 110,000 tons of quince, 250,000 tons of apricots, 455,000 tons of peaches, 1.25 million tons of oranges, 250,000 tons of lemons and 600,000 tons of tangerines.

Turkey, which grows 6 million tons of melons annually, is one of the world’s largest producers of this fruit. In good years, Turkish olive production reaches 1.8 million tons.

Turkish fruit production and its quality are increasing as farmers become more aware of proper agricultural techniques.

Turkish Chamber of Agriculture executive board member Mustafa Hepokur said Turkey’s fresh fruit exports in 1996 were valued at $210 million and had increased annually to reach $475 million in 2003.

He said Russia leads the countries that import fresh fruit from Turkey, with Germany, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, Britain and the Netherlands also big importers.

Hepokur said if farmers were educated in the proper use of toxins to combat pests, nothing would stand in the way of fruit exports from Turkey expanding even further.