Agricultural frost impacted 36 of Türkiye’s 81 provinces last year, triggering significant production losses that created hardships for both farmers and consumers.
The impact of those losses has not yet been fully overcome, and experts warn that the country is now entering a critical period for the 2026 food market. Both the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry and agricultural specialists have issued warnings to remain prepared for potential frost damage in the coming days.
The ministry announced that adverse weather conditions expected between April 7 and 11 could pose risks to agricultural activities.
Frost events last year hit fruit production hardest, with citrus, grapes, apricots, hazelnuts, pistachios, cherries, apples, and peaches suffering significant yield losses, many of which are key export products. The possibility of similar risks this year has heightened concerns in the agricultural sector, shifting attention to preventive measures and the potential scale of impacts.
Hasan Kozoğlu, a board member of the Turkish Union of Agricultural Chambers (TZOB), emphasized that regions above 800 meters in altitude face the highest frost risk.
He pointed specifically to apricots in Malatya and hazelnuts in the Black Sea region, along with other stone fruits such as plums, as being particularly vulnerable.
