Turkish Dried Apricots: Sharp Sulphured Price Reset, Unsulphured Steady

Turkish dried apricot prices show a split picture this week: unsulphured Malatya FOB levels are broadly steady, while sulphured grades have been marked sharply lower versus early September, widening the discount for industrial sizes. FCA EU warehouse prices remain firm, signalling that the main price pressure is at origin rather than in destination markets. The new Malatya crop is described as fundamentally adequate, with clear but seasonally milder weather supporting ongoing drying and processing. Origin growers, however, report squeezed margins as exporters keep farmgate prices under pressure despite stable international demand and export quotes. In this environment, buyers gain short‑term negotiating leverage on sulphured whole fruit, while unsulphured and organic categories retain a clear premium. Nearby price risk looks modest, but medium‑term direction will depend on how quickly exporters clean up quality issues and how European retail demand develops into Q4.

Prices

FOB Malatya unsulphured whole fruit is stable, with size No. 1 at 8.3 EUR/kg, No. 2 at 8.2 EUR/kg, No. 3 at 8.15 EUR/kg, No. 4 at 8.1 EUR/kg and No. 5 at 7.9 EUR/kg (all updated 22 September 2026). Organic equivalents command a clear premium, with organic No. 1 at 9.2 EUR/kg, No. 2 at 9.1 EUR/kg, No. 3 at 9.05 EUR/kg and No. 4 at 9.0 EUR/kg FOB. FCA EU warehouse prices in Dordrecht are unchanged versus mid‑September, reflecting solid downstream demand for Turkish origin fruit.

The main price move is in sulphured apricots. FOB Malatya values for 2000 ppm sulphured fruit have been reset sharply lower since early September: size No. 1 is now 7.3 EUR/kg, No. 2 (Ankara) 7.1 EUR/kg, No. 3 (Ankara) 6.8 EUR/kg, No. 4 at 6.6 EUR/kg, No. 5 at 6.4 EUR/kg, No. 6 at 6.1 EUR/kg, No. 7 at 6.0 EUR/kg and No. 8 at 5.8 EUR/kg. This represents origin discounts of roughly 0.8–1.5 EUR/kg across the main industrial calibres compared with the beginning of the month, widening the spread versus unsulphured grades.

Supply, Demand & Market Drivers

Malatya accounts for the bulk of Türkiye’s dried apricot production and exports, and the 2026 crop is widely seen as sufficient, with estimates around 75,000–80,000 tonnes after last season’s frost‑hit shortfall. Export statistics for August show lower shipped volumes compared with previous years, but higher unit values, confirming that global buyers are paying more per tonne even as tonnage slips.

Recent local reporting highlights that farmgate prices in Malatya have disappointed growers, with orchard‑gate levels well below last year and complaints about an exporter oligopoly suppressing origin prices. Commercial market services confirm that export prices in major destinations have not moved significantly in recent days, implying that the sharp drop in sulphured FOB quotes is largely an internal adjustment along the supply chain rather than a demand‑driven collapse.

Weather & Quality Outlook (Malatya, TR)

The short‑term weather outlook for Malatya remains benign for dried fruit handling. Over 23–25 September, forecasts point to sunny to mostly sunny conditions with daytime highs around 27–29°C and cool nights between 12–16°C, with no significant rainfall expected.

These stable, dry conditions are favourable for final drying, sorting and loading operations and reduce near‑term quality risk for both sulphured and unsulphured product. With earlier concerns about sulphur and pesticide residues already cited as a drag on export flows, current weather at least removes additional stress from the supply chain in the immediate term.

Key Fundamentals

• Global position: Türkiye remains the dominant player in dried apricots, supplying well over half of world exports, with Malatya as the core hub for both production and trade flows into Europe.
• Demand: EU demand is described as firm but not aggressive, with buyers covering spot and nearby needs while avoiding over‑commitment at current price levels.
• Exports: Malatya’s August exports fell in volume terms, partly due to delayed harvest and quality controls, but achieved higher average values per tonne, underpinning current FOB indications for higher‑quality unsulphured fruit.
• Policy and sentiment: Local industry coverage notes frustration with public intervention mechanisms and pricing policies, but so far there are no concrete measures that would materially alter export supply in the next few weeks.

Trading Outlook (Next 1–3 Weeks)

• Buyers (EU packers, importers): Use current weakness in sulphured FOB Malatya prices to secure industrial grades No. 5–8 for Q4/Q1 programmes, while keeping volume flexibility for higher qualities until residue and defect profiles are fully confirmed.
• Retail‑oriented buyers: Maintain or slightly increase coverage in unsulphured and organic categories, which show stable FOB and FCA EU prices and lower downside risk than sulphured fruit in the short run.
• Origin sellers: Focus on differentiating clean, residue‑compliant lots to defend premiums on unsulphured and large sizes; avoid under‑pricing top grades in response to current pressure on lower qualities.

3‑Day Regional Price Indication (Direction Only)

• Malatya FOB, unsulphured (all sizes): Stable over the next three days; no major triggers seen while weather remains favourable and export demand steady.
• Malatya/Ankara FOB, sulphured (No. 1–8): Weak‑to‑stable; after the recent sharp adjustment, further downside is limited but sellers may grant small concessions for volume business.
• EU FCA (NL, PL) stocks: Stable; Dordrecht and Lodz warehouse prices are expected to hold as long as replacement costs in Türkiye do not fall further.