Turkish Dried Apricots Ease Lower on Quiet Demand and Solid Supply

Turkish dried apricot prices are edging slightly lower across both FCA Europe and FOB origin quotations, as steady new‑crop supply meets only moderate demand from key import markets. The curve has softened most for sulphured grades, while unsulphured and organic lines remain comparatively firm but stable in Turkey. Short‑term weather in Malatya looks benign, keeping quality risks low and reinforcing a sideways‑to‑slightly‑softer price bias. The market tone is calm and somewhat stagnant. Exporters report that the 2026 crop in Malatya provides comfortable availability, particularly for standard conventional grades, while buyers in Europe remain cautious and price‑sensitive amid broader food inflation and full dried‑fruit shelves. Recent trade reports describe Turkish dried apricot markets as quiet, with weak spot buying and only limited volume business concluded, even as exports since the season start have run above last year’s pace. Overall, this favours buyers with flexibility on timing and specifications.

Prices

Latest FCA Dordrecht quotations for Turkish dried apricots show a uniform but mild week‑on‑week softening across key sizes. Size No. 8 is indicated at 6.10 EUR/kg FCA Dordrecht, while mid‑range sizes No. 5 and No. 4 stand at 6.60 EUR/kg and 6.70 EUR/kg respectively. At the top of the size range, Size No. 0 and No. 1 are valued at 7.15 EUR/kg and 7.10 EUR/kg FCA Dordrecht. Diced cubes (8–10 mm) are quoted at 3.90 EUR/kg FCA Dordrecht.

At origin, FOB Malatya quotations for conventional unsulphured Turkish dried apricots remain stable, with No. 1–4 sizes clustered between 8.10 and 8.30 EUR/kg, and organic equivalents around 9.00–9.20 EUR/kg. Sulphured 2000 ppm grades are materially cheaper, broadly concentrated around 7.30–7.70 EUR/kg FOB depending on size and location. Prices at origin thus still trade at a firm premium to European FCA positions, reflecting grower cost structures and recent increases in Turkish domestic price benchmarks.

Supply & Demand

Turkey remains the dominant supplier of dried apricots to world markets, with Malatya alone accounting for the bulk of national dried output. The 2026 crop is described as recovered versus last season and broadly sufficient to cover normal export programmes, but not large enough to rebuild significant stocks. European demand, particularly from Germany, France and the Netherlands, is steady but restrained as buyers manage inventories carefully and face competitive offers from other dried fruits.

Recent Turkish trade commentary highlights that the dried apricot market in Malatya is currently quiet, with exports in September so far lagging internal expectations despite being ahead of last year on a season‑to‑date basis. This combination of comfortable supply and hesitant demand has translated into small price concessions, especially for sulphured grades and diced industrial material. However, premium unsulphured and organic categories remain well supported by limited availability and strong quality requirements.

Weather & Crop Conditions (Region: TR)

Short‑term weather forecasts for Malatya and surrounding apricot‑growing districts in eastern Turkey point to largely stable late‑September conditions, with mostly sunny to partly cloudy skies, mild daytime highs and a brief window of showers confined to one day in the current week. With the 2026 harvesting and primary drying period effectively completed, these patterns pose minimal risk to the finished dried product already in warehouses.

Looking ahead into the next few days, no disruptive temperature swings, storms or prolonged humidity phases are indicated for the Malatya plateau. This benign backdrop reduces the likelihood of near‑term quality losses in carryover stocks and supports an orderly flow of product to processing and export channels. Weather is therefore not expected to be a bullish catalyst for prices in the immediate term.

Market Drivers

• Crop recovery in 2026: Industry updates confirm that the 2026 Malatya dried apricot crop has recovered from prior‑year weather setbacks, ensuring sufficient volume for core export markets while keeping smaller or specialty grades relatively tight.
• Quiet spot demand: Market reports from Malatya describe stagnation and weak short‑term demand, with buyers hesitant amid unstable price signals and macroeconomic uncertainty in destination markets.
• Firm grower expectations: Domestic Turkish apricot prices in TRY remain elevated, underpinned by higher costs and inflation, which helps explain the firmness of FOB EUR levels relative to softer FCA Europe offers.
• Competition within dried fruit basket: Improved availability in other Turkish dried fruits, such as figs and raisins, gives European buyers alternatives, slightly diluting incremental demand for dried apricots in mixed‑fruit and snack applications.

Trading Outlook & 3‑Day Price Indication

• For buyers: Near‑term momentum favours patient, staggered purchasing on standard sulphured and diced material, where FCA and FOB quotes show the most softness. Consider covering Q4 needs gradually, while monitoring any shift in demand ahead of winter and Ramadan‑related buying.
• For sellers/exporters: With origin costs still firm, preserve margins by focusing on differentiated unsulphured and organic lots and avoiding deep discounts on high‑quality large sizes. Forward offers should stress quality, traceability and shipment reliability rather than price alone.
• For industrial users: Current levels for cubes and smaller sizes offer an opportunity to lock in competitive input costs for fruit mixes and bakery fillings, bearing in mind the risk of renewed interest and tighter availability if broader dried fruit prices rise.

Over the next three trading days, FCA Dordrecht prices for Turkish dried apricots are expected to remain broadly stable with a mild downward bias for sulphured and diced specifications, reflecting ongoing quiet demand and plentiful new‑crop supply. FOB Malatya and Ankara quotations are likely to trade sideways within current ranges, as firm grower price ideas and manageable stocks counterbalance any additional buyer pressure. In the absence of weather shocks or a sharp shift in export demand from Europe or emerging markets, significant price moves in either direction appear unlikely in this very short time frame.