Turkish Dried Apricots Hold Firm as Sulphured Prices Reset Lower

Turkish dried apricot prices are broadly stable on the FOB Malatya side, with unsulphured grades holding last week’s levels while sulphured lots consolidate after a sharp reset earlier in September. Demand is only slowly improving, but exports remain ahead of last year and sellers are in no hurry to discount further. After a volatile year marked by last season’s frost damage, the 2026 Malatya crop is now flowing steadily into the supply chain. Market commentary from Malatya describes a quiet spot market with slightly better buying interest and unchanged export prices versus the previous week, suggesting that the earlier correction in sulphured quotations has largely run its course for now. Autumnal, cooler and wetter weather in eastern Türkiye reduces immediate weather risk for the dried crop, so price direction in early October will be driven mainly by export demand and currency, not by new supply shocks.

Prices

FOB Malatya and Ankara quotations for Turkish dried apricots, updated on 30 September 2026, show a flat week-on-week picture: unsulphured whole fruit from size No. 1 to No. 5 continues to trade between EUR 8.30–7.90/kg FOB, while sulphured equivalents stand markedly lower after the mid‑September reset, at roughly EUR 7.30–6.10/kg for sizes No. 1–6 and down to EUR 5.80/kg for size No. 8 FOB Malatya.

Organic unsulphured grades maintain a consistent premium, with Malatya No. 1 organic at EUR 9.20/kg FOB and Ankara No. 4 organic around EUR 9.00/kg FOB, both unchanged versus the previous quotations. European FCA warehouse prices for Turkish origin dried apricots in the Netherlands and Poland are slightly softer than earlier in September, reflecting improved availability and seller willingness to move stocks, but the adjustment is modest and does not yet signal aggressive destocking.

Supply & Demand

Malatya, which dominates Türkiye’s dried apricot output, is operating with a significantly healthier crop in 2026 after last year’s frost‑reduced harvest. Estimates around 75,000–80,000 tonnes of dried apricot production indicate a return to more normal availability, easing the extreme tightness seen in 2025 and supporting the current stable price structure.

Export data for Turkish dried apricots show that shipments in 2026, particularly to key markets such as the United States, have fallen in volume versus previous years but remain steady month to month, while current market notes from Malatya describe demand as quiet but gradually picking up with expectations of stronger October buying. This combination of improved origin supply and only moderate import demand explains why sellers can hold offers but see little upward pressure for now.

Weather & Crop Conditions (TR)

Recent weather in Malatya has turned autumnal, with the Turkish Meteorological Institute flagging a cloudy, occasionally rainy week and temperatures between roughly 8–12°C at night and 20–25°C during the day. At this late stage in the season, such conditions pose limited risk to the main dried apricot crop, which is largely harvested and in storage or processing.

Short‑term weather therefore plays a minor role for pricing in early October: the main impact is on on‑farm drying and any remaining late‑picked fruit, but not on overall exportable volumes. With no immediate frost or severe storm threats reported for Malatya, physical availability from origin should remain smooth, keeping the focus on export demand and currency movements rather than weather‑driven volatility.

Fundamentals & Market Drivers

• Crop recovery vs. last year: After a frost‑hit 2025 season, the 2026 harvest recovery reduces scarcity premiums and supports the current sideways price pattern for both sulphured and unsulphured fruit.
• Demand slowly improving: Market reports from Malatya highlight a quiet spot market with slightly better demand and expectations for a busier October, but not yet enough momentum to push prices higher.
• Export trends mixed: US import statistics point to a substantial year‑on‑year reduction in 2026 shipment volumes, reflecting the earlier global shortage and demand rationing, but recent months show steady flows, indicating that pipelines are gradually refilling at current price levels.
• Internal price reset in sulphured segment: Commentary from trade sources suggests that the sharp drop in sulphured FOB quotes in September was primarily an internal supply‑chain adjustment rather than a collapse in overseas demand, helping explain why prices have since stabilised.

Trading Outlook & 3‑Day Price Indication (TR)

• Short‑term bias: Sideways. With origin prices unchanged week on week and no new weather or policy shocks, the Turkish dried apricot market is likely to trade in a narrow range in early October.
• For buyers: Consider covering near‑term unsulphured needs at current FOB Malatya levels between EUR 8.30–7.90/kg across sizes 1–5, prioritising larger sizes where availability is reported as good. Stagger additional cover into October in case demand remains only moderate.
• For sellers: Maintain offer discipline on standard unsulphured grades while staying flexible on sulphured and off‑sizes if export demand underperforms expectations. Use stable weather and solid crop fundamentals to justify current price ideas.

Over the next three trading days in Türkiye, FOB Malatya and Ankara dried apricot prices are expected to remain broadly stable across both sulphured and unsulphured ranges, with only minor negotiation‑level adjustments around current quotations and no clear catalyst yet for a decisive move either higher or lower.