Turkish dried apricots: FOB Malatya flat, cubes steady in Europe as market waits on April weather

Turkish dried apricot prices are essentially flat in late April, with Malatya FOB offers holding previous gains and EU warehouse cubes trading in a narrow, steady range. A weak but resilient export pace and a softer lira versus the euro are helping keep EUR-denominated values stable rather than pushing them higher.

Market activity is calm, with most core buyers in Europe reportedly well covered for nearby needs and in no rush to extend forward positions. Processors and exporters in Malatya are watching the final April weather window closely; no major frost or disease shock has materialised so far, but any late event could quickly change sentiment. For now, stable fundamentals and currency support point to a sideways price pattern over the coming days.

📈 Prices & Currency

Recent market commentary confirms that Turkish dried apricot FOB prices in Malatya and Ankara have been broadly stable into late April, with only minor week‑on‑week moves and a generally firm undertone. Exporters describe the market as being in a “pause phase”, with slow but ongoing demand and little pressure to discount.

The Turkish lira continues to trade weak against the euro: around TRY 52.7 per EUR on 24 April 2026, implying roughly EUR 0.019 per TRY. This cushions EUR‑based buyers from sharp price escalation in local currency and helps explain why euro‑denominated dried apricot offers are flat even as domestic costs rise. Overall, spot and nearby contracts in Europe are transacting in a tight band, with limited basis volatility between FOB Turkey and EU warehouse levels.

Product	Grade / Form	Location & Term	Indicative level (EUR/kg)	Trend vs mid‑April
Dried apricots	No. 4–5 sulphured	FOB Malatya (TR)	≈ 8.0–8.2	Stable
Dried apricots	No. 3–4 unsulphured	FOB Malatya (TR)	≈ 7.9–8.0	Stable
Dried apricots	No. 6–8 sulphured	FOB Malatya/Ankara (TR)	≈ 7.3–7.8	Stable/Firm
Dried apricots	Cubes 8–10 mm	FCA NL warehouse	≈ 3.35	Stable
Dried apricots	Cubes No. 4–6	FCA NL warehouse	≈ 6.00–6.15	Stable

🌍 Supply, Demand & Weather (TR Focus)

Malatya remains the core production hub for Turkish dried apricots, accounting for the bulk of national output and exports. Current industry reports describe export demand as “slow but resilient”: large European buyers are covered for nearby and are mainly testing the market rather than placing aggressive new business, keeping spot volumes modest but preventing a price collapse.

Weather in eastern Turkey has so far avoided the kind of severe April frost that can devastate apricot orchards, and agronomic updates emphasise disease and pest pressure as the main medium‑term risk rather than an immediate weather shock. Short‑range forecasts for the Malatya region point to relatively mild, seasonally normal conditions over the coming days, without a clear frost threat. This supports expectations that 2026 crop potential remains broadly intact, removing an upside weather premium from near‑term prices.

📊 Fundamentals & Market Drivers

• Export flow: Turkey remains the dominant global dried apricot supplier, with Europe as the main destination region. Current slow but ongoing export bookings are allowing stocks to move without forcing sellers into discounts.
• Currency backdrop: The persistent depreciation of the lira versus major currencies, including the euro, continues to support Turkey’s price competitiveness and has already been largely incorporated into current FOB and CIF offers.
• Buyer coverage: European manufacturers and packers reportedly extended coverage earlier in the season on frost concerns, which have not fully materialised. This leaves them comfortable on nearby positions and more selective on additional spot purchases.
• Quality focus: Technical papers released this month underline ongoing work on managing blossom timing, fruit size and disease control in Malatya orchards, suggesting that quality for drying remains a key focus and should be adequate barring late‑season shocks.

📆 Short‑Term Outlook & Trading Recommendations

With weather risks easing and export demand steady but unspectacular, the near‑term balance in dried apricots from Turkey looks neutral. Prices are expected to remain in a tight sideways band into the final days of April, with only limited scope for either significant downside (due to currency support and seller discipline) or upside (given comfortable buyer coverage and intact crop prospects).

🔎 Trading outlook (next 2–4 weeks)

• EU buyers: Use current flat FCA/FOB offers to top up Q3 coverage selectively, especially in preferred grades and unsulphured/organic lines, but avoid over‑extending until clearer visibility on final crop size in May.
• Turkish exporters: Maintain offer discipline; with lira weakness already priced in and no immediate weather shock, deep discounts risk eroding margins without generating proportional volume.
• Speculative participants: Given stable fundamentals and limited near‑term catalysts, risk‑reward for aggressive directional positions is poor; focus instead on relative value along grade and origin spreads.

📍 3‑Day Regional Price Indication (directional)

• FOB Malatya/Ankara (TR): Dried apricot prices expected to trade sideways over the next three days, with offers kept at roughly current EUR levels and only minor negotiation room.
• FCA Netherlands / Poland warehouses (EU, Turkish origin): Cube and bulk dried apricot prices likely to remain stable, tracking flat FOB Turkey and a steady EUR/TRY rate, with no clear impetus for short‑term moves.