Figs: Worries in Turkey
April 21, 2017 at 10:06 AM ,
Der AUDITOR
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Drop in exports
With limited availability, it is no wonder that the average export volumes have shrunk by 10% compared to the same period last year. Even though the top-ranking buyer France has increased imports by 12.5% to 6,610 mt. In contrast, countries such as Germany, the USA and Italy have reduced their imports considerably.
Turkish fig exports |
|||
Country |
2016/17 |
2015/16 |
Diff. PY |
France |
6,610 |
5,875 |
12.49% |
Germany |
5,923 |
6,153 |
-3.74% |
USA |
4,186 |
7,241 |
-42.19% |
Italy |
2,694 |
3,322 |
-18.90% |
Belarus |
2,100 |
468 |
348.84% |
Switzerland |
1,482 |
1,373 |
7.92% |
UK |
1,460 |
1,875 |
-22.14% |
Netherlands |
1,231 |
1,336 |
-7.87% |
Saudi Arabia |
1,085 |
749 |
45.00% |
Canada |
1,038 |
752 |
37.97% |
Other |
18,756 |
22,787 |
-17.69% |
Overall |
46,565 |
51,931 |
-10.33% |
Source: Aegean Export Union Black Sea Export Union |
High quality risk
The later harvest often bears a higher quality risk for Turkish dried figs, as rain during the drying period can rapidly cause damage to a good crop.
This is what happened last year. While spring frost is the greatest risk for sultanas and apricots, figs are more often exposed to hostile weather conditions because of the later harvest. In addition to visual defects, increased humidity also promotes the formation of mould and elevated aflatoxin levels. The availability of high-quality products is therefore limited, and the raw fruit prices are expected to increase to 15-16 TRY/kg.
Dried figs, Turkey |
||
Type |
USD/mt |
EUR/mt |
Lerida, No. 2 |
5,500 |
5,133 |
Lerida, No. 3 |
5,350 |
4,993 |
Lerida, No. 4 |
5,200 |
4,853 |
Lerida, No. 5 |
5,050 |
4,713 |
FOB Izmir |