April frost sends fruit prices soaring amid shortage

ISTANBUL

The impact of the agricultural frost that struck Türkiye in April has now fully made its way to the market, with cherries emerging as this summer’s scarcest and most expensive fruit.

A combination of unseasonal snowfall and cold weather during the blossoming phase hit cherry trees across major producing provinces, including the western provinces of İzmir, Manisa, Denizli and Kütahya.

Although harvests have been completed in many of these regions, consumers have seen little fruit reach store shelves, and what is available comes at a steep price.

Due to significant yield losses, even low-quality cherries now sell for 150 to 300 Turkish Liras ($3.8-$7.5) per kilogram in open-air markets. High-quality varieties such as “Napolyon” and “Salihli” are priced between 600 and 700 liras per kilogram in supermarkets, if they are available at all.

One of the few regions still preparing for harvest is Hadim, a district in the Central Anatolian province of Konya, known for being the last to harvest cherries in Türkiye.

The damage there has been severe. Tefik Ateş, a sector representative, stated, “In some areas, losses reached 80 percent. Most of the remaining product will go to export, but a portion will enter the domestic market. We expect starting producer prices around 400 liras per kilo, which means prices will remain high internally. Even what’s considered ‘good quality’ now is actually substandard. Many are exploiting the shortage to charge more.”

Estimates suggest that cherry production in Hadim has decreased by more than 75 percent. As a result, producers have little to sell and are grappling with financial strain.

In Denizli, the regionally protected Honaz cherry was severely impacted, with fruit failing to develop beyond the early stage. In Amasya, a 60-year-old cherry festival and competition — a local tradition that supports cherry promotion — was canceled due to insufficient crop production.

Türkiye, typically the world leader in cherry cultivation and planting area, ranks third in cherry exports. The country has been working to expand exports, but this year’s losses may cripple progress.

The impact of the cold snap extends beyond cherries. Other summer fruits such as peaches, nectarines and apricots are also fetching high prices. As the season progresses, consumers face continued high prices and limited supply across fruit stalls.