The Sultaniye variety of seedless grapes grown in Alasehir, Manisa, a city located in western Turkey, has started to be harvested and the preparations for exports are about to be completed. Around 90 trucks filled with grapes from Alasehir have left the country and the products are expected to reach consumers in Europe and Russia within a week.
Last year the price per kg was around 0.15 per kg whereas now the prices have risen up to 0.30 USD per kg, due to lower production because of hailstorms and heavy rain.
The growers in the region were specifically warned about the use of pesticides and they need to abide by strict restrictions on chemical residues if they want to export their products to Europe.
Early harvest grapes were sold for 0.6 USD per kg whereas now the prices have stabilized at 0.30 USD.
The growers are currently happy with the market conditions but they still ask for government support for growers who have lost of a significant chunk of their production due to heavy rains and hailstorms this season.
Out of 90 trucks being exported at the moment, around 60% will arrive in Russia, whereas the remaining 40 % will be sold to European countries. Sultaniye grapes are well-known worldwide for their quality and taste which creates such a significant demand for this particular variety.
Source: Haberturk