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Market Report Iranian Raisins

February 14, 2017 at 2:56 PM , ILKIN CO
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The European Market is dominated by Turkish Sultanas but Iranian are active in other markets

 

  1. Iranian 2016 crop raisins estimates: 180,000 mt
  2. Prices of Iran’s Malayer Grada AAA Raisins loading February is $1210/mt FOB Mersin-Turkey or FOB Bandar Abbas-Iran

The European Market is dominated by Turkish Sultanas. Exports of Turkish sultanas and raisins is increased to over 135,000 MT since the start of the season, this compare to the 90,000 MT same period last year which is over 30% increasing.  From one side, Turkey is having good crop of over 313,000 MT this year, and from other side, dropping value of Turkish Lira against US Dollar, are continuing prices of Turkish sultanas and raisins to be very cheap and favourable specifically in Europe.

Iran is also having good crop this season with estimated figures show over 180,000 MT. However, Iranian exporters are facing many challenges at the moment. Turkey (Iran’s biggest competitor in dried fruits) is offering very cheap prices and ruled the EU market. Most of exporters and manufacturers of raisins in Iran have faced difficulties to compete with Turkey in Europe. Unofficial figures indicate that Iran’s export of sultanas and raisins dropped over 50% to Europe from started of the season. Even the government subsidy of giving 5,000 Rial per KG to farmers did not help to compete with cheap Turkish Sultanas and Raisins in the EU.  Although Iranian good quality Sultanas’ prices dropped from $1400 MT to $1210 MT FOB Bandar-Abbas Iran since the start of the season, but still not attracting compare to Turkish Sultanas. Therefore, Iranian exporters are turning to other markets mainly to Russia, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Iraq as well as some other Asian countries. The example is Russia which the export of Iranian Sultanas doubled compare to the same period last year.

The next important date in the dried fruit calendar is Easter, which both Iranian and Turkish exporters are hoping to increase their market share, although Turkish Sultanas and Raisins have more chance in the EU than Iranian, but Iranian Raisins and Sultanas are also playing big role in Russia and Ukraine.  

Written by Hamed Ghalichehbaf, Sales Manager Europe ILKIN 

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