The Turkish weather has proven to be helpful to this season’s apple harvest, although heat could still make things more difficult, says Alper Kerim, owner of Turkish apple exporter Demir Fresh Fruits: “In Turkey, the weather conditions have been quite good so far, but warm weather conditions can sometimes effect the quality of the apples in a bad way. However, at this time the quality of apples in our own orchards are of great quality, so we’re heading into the season with a positive mindset.”
Production of Turkish apples is on the rise, Kerim states. However he emphasizes that not all apples in Turkey are equal in terms of their quality. “Overall, the Turkish apple volumes are expected to be 15 per cent larger compared to the previous year. However, the quality will not be evenly distributed among these apples. Only reliable orchards and growers have apples that are suitable for export. Thankfully we are in control of our own orchards at Demir Fresh Fruits, so we can monitor the crop very carefully. This year, production has been going very well for us, which means we can be pleased about both volumes and the quality of the apples.”
Kerim has been pushing his apple brand DeBa in India for a couple of years now. However, the brand is also finding its way into other markets in the Middle East and Asia. “Although our main focus has been the Indian market, we are very strong in the Gulf region and Far Eastern countries as well. The Dubai and Jeddah markets are very valuable for our brand. Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysian markets are increasingly becoming options for our brand and demand is very satisfying for us.”
According to Kerim, he’s found that the Indian market is hungry for a specific variety of apples: “When exporting apples to India, Red Delicious is an absolute must in terms of variety. Our brand DeBa, which consists of Red Delicious apples, is the strongest brand in Indian market right now. The sales of this brand are increasing every year, and for this coming season we’re also expecting an increase of 50 per cent, which is massive. The quality of the brand has made it popular among consumers in India.”
“Looking at our company’s export volumes, we expect to increase that volume by 50 per cent this year. We want to place our DeBa brand apples all over the world, because our production and packing operations is situated with latest systems. It helps us to provide better quality in the apples as well as a longer shelf life of our products. Our aim is to be one of the five largest apple exporters in world. We’re going for it!” Kerim concludes.
Demir Fresh Fruits will exhibit during Asia Fruit Logistica in Hong Kong. You can find their stand in Hall 3, Booth 3F15.
For more information:
Alper Kerim
Demir Fresh Fruits
Tel: +90 532 514 2080
Email: [email protected]
www.dff.com.tr