Turkish Apricots: Strong New Crop Prospects, Firm Old-Crop Prices

New-season fresh apricot harvesting is now underway in Malatya with high yield expectations after last year’s frost-shortened crop. Domestic end-of-season prices remain firm, while export demand for Turkish dried apricots stays solid and new-season export prices will only be settled towards late August. The market is currently in a transition phase between old and new crop. Growers and processors are focused on fresh picking and segregation of fruit for drying, while buyers are assessing how hail and heavy rain pockets may have trimmed local productivity without necessarily changing total supply. Spot dried apricot prices in Türkiye and Europe are broadly stable to slightly firmer, reflecting tight old-crop availability and confidence in the sector’s export position.

Prices

Domestic end-of-season prices in Türkiye are reported at around TRY 330–340 per unit, indicating a still-firm old-crop market despite the approaching new harvest. In export channels, Turkish dried apricots continue to trade near EUR 7–8/kg FOB for standard sulphured qualities, with little evidence of significant discounting ahead of the new crop.

Recent FCA quotations for Turkish dried apricots in the Netherlands show a modest upward trend late June, with typical sizes trading around EUR 5.6–6.7/kg. Higher-value unsulphured and organic products out of Malatya remain clearly above this range, in the EUR 8–10/kg band FOB. Overall, the price structure signals confidence and no panic selling before the August price-setting period.

Supply & Demand

The last week of June marks the start of an intense harvest period in Malatya, the key origin for Turkish dried apricots. After the severe frost of the previous year, orchards are generally in better condition and expectations for 2026 yield are elevated, though final figures will only be clear once fresh picking concludes.

Localized hail and heavy rain have damaged some orchards, creating quality and volume uncertainty at a micro level. However, current indications suggest that aggregate availability may still be ample enough to restore exportable surpluses. A share of the crop is sold fresh on domestic and export channels, while the balance moves into drying and will underpin dried exports from August onward.

On the demand side, Turkish dried apricots retain a leading position in international trade flows. Buyers in Europe and other key markets continue to rely on Malatya-origin product, and the absence of major competing shocks in other stone-fruit origins supports steady offtake, even as buyers remain cautious ahead of formal new-season pricing.

Fundamentals & Weather

Fundamentals are currently shaped by the handover between tight old-crop stocks and an upcoming larger new crop. With end-of-season domestic prices still at TRY 330–340, growers are not under pressure to sell cheaply. Processors, in turn, are focused on ensuring sufficient raw material for drying rather than pushing volumes aggressively onto the market.

Weather in Malatya for the first days of July is hot and dry, with maximum temperatures around 34–36°C and abundant sunshine, conditions that are generally favourable for both harvest operations and subsequent drying of fruit. This pattern, if sustained, should help maintain fruit quality and reduce the risk of additional weather-related losses.

Outlook & Trading Ideas

New-season export prices for dried apricots will be formally set towards the end of August, leaving several weeks where market expectations rather than hard offers guide trading. Given high yield hopes but localized damage, the most likely scenario is a broadly balanced market with price levels close to current ranges, adjusted for quality and size.

• Importers / packers: Consider covering near-term needs now while old-crop stocks remain available, but keep significant volumes unpriced until more clarity on final yield and August offers emerges.
• Growers / processors: With firm domestic prices and strong export positioning, avoid early large-volume forward sales at deep discounts; focus on quality selection and drying capacity planning.
• Industrial users: Monitor spreads between sulphured and unsulphured, as well as between sizes; current differentials suggest opportunities to optimize blends without major cost increases.

3-day Directional Price View (EUR-based)

• Malatya FOB dried apricots: Stable to slightly firm; limited liquidity, sellers defensive ahead of full harvest data.
• Northwest Europe FCA stocks: Slight upward bias for prompt nearby positions, reflecting higher replacement costs and tight old-crop availability.
• Fresh apricots ex Türkiye: Seasonally active but with prices mainly driven by local supply–demand; no immediate spillover pressure on dried values expected in the next three days.