Turkey: Citrus Yields, Exports Expand
19 December 2007 Turkey’s Mediterranean and Aegean regions account for 95% of all citrus grown in the country. The primary production zone is Cukurova, which produces 70% of the country’s citrus. The three provinces that make up Cukurova each have their own specialties. Hatay province in the south specializes in oranges; Adana province in the central part of the production area specializes in oranges, tangerines, and grapefruit; and Mersin province in the west specializes in lemons. In addition, Antalya province to the west of Cukurova produces about 20% of all citrus in Turkey, with the major crop being oranges. Izmir is the leading province in the Aegean region, and produces about 15% percent of all tangerines in Turkey.
In 2006/07, the estimated citrus production was substantially higher than in 2005/06, due mostly to yield improvement. Orange production increased to 1.536 million metric tons (MT), and tangerine production was up 10% to 739,000 MT.
With yields increasing, the export of almost all citrus fruits increased. Only orange exports dropped slightly, though this was mainly due to the sizes of oranges, as small oranges do not meet the demands of some importing countries. Tangerine exports reached a record high of 333,000 MT in 2006, up 55% compared to 2005.
Production of all citrus except grapefruit is forecast to decrease in 2007. Lemon production is likely to see the largest decline due to hot and dry weather during blossoming season.
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