Early Turkish Dried Fig Shipments Clash with Stricter EU Toxin Limits
Turkish dried fig exports start earlier on Sept 28 with firm FOB prices, but strict EU ochratoxin controls keep exporters cautious and demand from Europe uncertain.
Turkish dried fig exports have started early on 28 September this season, with FOB prices broadly steady, but sentiment is cautious as EU ochratoxin and aflatoxin controls continue to constrain trade and raise quality risks at the border.
The new dried fig export season opened ahead of last year’s schedule after warm, favorable weather allowed an earlier harvest and drying window. Exporters welcomed the brought-forward first-shipment date following complaints over last year’s delayed start, but concerns persist over the European Union’s strict upper limits and enhanced checks on ochratoxin A. Last season, Turkish fig flows to the EU slowed sharply amid repeated mycotoxin findings and tighter documentation requirements. The sector now aims to rebuild volumes in Europe while leveraging firmer demand in alternative markets, against a backdrop of stable opening prices and a still-fragile regulatory relationship with the EU.
Prices
Current Turkish dried fig quotations (FOB) indicate a broadly stable opening to the 2026/27 export season. In Malatya, conventional natural figs are assessed at EUR 9.60/FOB for No. 1, EUR 9.40/FOB for No. 2, and EUR 9.20/FOB for No. 3, with smaller sizes at EUR 8.80/FOB (No. 4), EUR 8.20/FOB (No. 5), EUR 7.80/FOB (No. 6) and EUR 7.80–7.60/FOB for lower grades.
Lerida-style conventional figs from Malatya trade at lower differentials, with No. 1 at EUR 7.50/FOB, No. 2 at EUR 7.20/FOB, No. 3 at EUR 6.80/FOB, No. 4 at EUR 6.60/FOB, No. 5 at EUR 6.40/FOB, No. 6 at EUR 6.15/FOB and No. 7 at EUR 6.10/FOB. Organic and processed figs in İzmir command a clear premium: organic Lerida No. 4 is at EUR 14.95/FOB, organic Protoben No. 4/5 at EUR 15.65/FOB, organic mini dried figs at EUR 16.15/FOB, organic fig cubes at EUR 9.70/FOB, and non‑organic chopped whole No. 8/9 at EUR 10.80/FOB.
| Product | Origin | Type / Grade | Delivery | Latest Price (EUR) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Figs dried | TR – Malatya | Natural No. 1 | FOB | 9.60 |
| Figs dried | TR – Malatya | Lerida No. 1 | FOB | 7.50 |
| Figs | TR – İzmir | Organic Lerida No. 4 | FOB | 14.95 |
| Figs dried | TR – İzmir | Organic Mini | FOB | 16.15 |
| Figs | ES – Madrid | Organic Spanish Gold | FOB | 10.90 |
Supply & Demand
The 2026 dried fig export season has formally begun with first shipments on 28 September, several weeks earlier than last year’s second‑week‑of‑October start. Industry representatives underline that warm, favorable late-summer weather accelerated fruit maturity and drying, allowing an earlier export date and addressing exporters’ complaints over last season’s delay. Production is reported ample, and Turkey remains the dominant global supplier with a seasonal export target above 60,000 tons, underpinned by robust demand from existing and emerging markets.
However, exporters enter the season with mixed confidence. While non‑EU markets such as North America and the Far East have absorbed growing volumes, last year’s exports to the European Union nearly came to a standstill as stricter mycotoxin controls took effect. The EU remains a key value market but its share in Turkish dried fig exports has eroded, pushing the sector to diversify destinations and place more emphasis on quality assurance and pre‑shipment analysis.
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Fundamentals & EU Regulatory Pressure
Market fundamentals this season are defined less by crop size and more by food-safety regulation. According to industry leaders in the Aegean Region, the EU has been creating significant obstacles for Turkish figs through tight maximum limits on ochratoxin A and aflatoxins, combined with a high frequency of border checks. Since August 2025, consignments of dried figs and derived products from Türkiye must be accompanied by official sampling results and are subject to around 30% physical and identity controls at EU entry points, sharply raising compliance costs and the risk of delays or rejections.
Recent weeks have seen a cluster of Rapid Alert (RASFF) notifications for Turkish dried figs, with several consignments exceeding EU limits for ochratoxin A and aflatoxin B1 in September alone, highlighting persistent risk in parts of the supply chain. This backdrop explains exporters’ unease: they recall how EU-bound flows slowed dramatically last season, and are now pushing for tighter on‑farm and pre‑export controls to avoid a repeat. At the same time, the EU’s broader agri‑food import data show rising scrutiny on higher‑risk fruit and nut categories, even as overall trade volumes remain solid.
Weather & Quality Outlook
Weather has so far been supportive. Warm and stable late‑summer conditions in key Aegean growing provinces allowed an earlier harvest and drying phase, underpinning the decision to move the first export date forward to 28 September. Industry sources note that the harvest is now largely complete, limiting immediate weather risk to the 2026 crop.
In Aydın, a core fig region, temperatures are turning seasonally cooler, with daytime highs around the upper‑20s °C and nights in the mid‑teens, conditions that are benign for storage and transport rather than crop development. Going forward, the key quality variable is not weather but post‑harvest handling and storage: strict drying, sorting, and monitoring protocols will be critical to limit mycotoxin formation and safeguard market access, particularly to the EU.
Trading Outlook
- Short-term tone: With first shipments already under way and FOB prices steady across main grades, the near-term fig market looks balanced but cautious. Buyers are testing availability at current levels, while exporters are wary of overcommitting to the EU before verifying compliance on each lot.
- For EU importers: Continue to prioritize suppliers offering full mycotoxin test documentation and strong traceability. Given the elevated rate of EU border checks on Turkish figs, consider building some logistical buffer in contracts to accommodate potential delays or re-dispatches.
- For Turkish exporters: Focus early-season sales on lots with confirmed low mycotoxin risk and consider diversifying volume towards less regulated destinations to mitigate EU border uncertainty. Maintaining price discipline on high-quality natural and organic grades is feasible as long as alternative demand in North America and the Far East remains firm.
- For industrial users: Current differentials between conventional Lerida and natural or organic grades favor some up‑specification where quality and food‑safety credentials are critical. However, avoid aggressive inventory building until the pattern of EU border notifications for the new season becomes clearer.
3‑Day Price & Directional View
- Turkey – Malatya, conventional natural figs (FOB): Prices for No. 1–3 are stable around EUR 9.20–9.60 with limited downside expected in the next three days as export programs ramp up cautiously.
- Turkey – Malatya, Lerida figs (FOB): Lerida grades remain discounted versus natural at EUR 6.10–7.50; no immediate price shift is anticipated given moderate demand and comfortable raw material availability.
- Turkey – İzmir, organic/processed figs (FOB): Organic and value‑added products hold firm at EUR 9.70–16.15, supported by niche demand and higher production costs; sideways trading is the most likely scenario in the very short term.