Dried Fruits Sector Analysis Turkey

DRIED FRUITS FROM TURKEY

Turkey is one of the unique countries in the world for agricultural production and Turkey's matchless superiority with respect to agricultural production allows her to produce many agricultural products. Except for some tropical products almost every kind of agricultural product can be produced in a large scale in Turkey. Dried fruits are one of Turkey's major agricultural sectors and Turkey is the most important country in the world with respect to both to production and exports of dried fruits. Turkish dried fruits' production and exports are extremely high and dominate world markets. Among the dried fruits produce in Turkey, raisins(sultanas), dried apricots and dried figs, have the lion's share. Because of their major importance for agricultural exports, they are regarded as traditional Turkish agricultural export items. Turkey also produces and exports other kinds of dried fruits such as, prunes, currants, dried apples, dried pears, dried mulberries, dried peaches etc.

DRIED FRUITS NUTRITION AND HEALTH

Grapes, figs and apricots are miracles from standpoint of their composition, have been accepted as sacred fruits throughout history. Dried fruits are called nature's candy and they are one of the most nutritious fruits in the world. They are cholesterol-free, rich in vitamins and minerals and totally fat-free. Dried fruits are good source of fiber and also rich in antioxidants.

CONSUMPTION FORMS OF DRIED FRUITS

Dried fruits are used in a wide range of food sectors as well as being consumed as a snack food. Some consumptipn of dried fruits are as follows:

Raisins (Sultanas)

Raisins are indispensable in breads, cakes, cookies, pies, tarts, and different pastries in the bakery sector. They are an excellent addition to wide range of candies, puddings and other wonderful confectioneries. They are mixed or added to many cereals and cereal-based products like muesli logs, fruit-filled cereals, nuggets, and extruded breakfast cereals.

Dried Apricots

Dried apricots are mostly consumed directly as a snack after being grated and may be mixed with other fruits. It is also used in bakery products, in the production of chocolate and candies, as an ingredient in the of some special sweets like paste.

Dried Figs

Dried figs are consumed in international cuisines in many different shapes including in pies, puddings, cakes, breads or other bakery products after stewing or being cooked; in jams, marmalades, o in many sugar and confectionery products as a delicious ingredient. Dried figs are become increasingly important due to their advantages with both industrial users and individual users such as longer shelf life, more concentrated taste, higher economic value, and ease of use in almost all of the above mentioned areas consumption compared to their use in fresh form.

PRODUCTION

Raisins

Turkey has 1200 types of grapes and has been among the five major producers of grape throuhot the world with an annual average production of 3.5 million tons. Among these varieties, seedless "Yuvarlak and Sultani" are the main varieties for raisin. Seedless raisins are grown especially in the Aegean region of Turkey, which is blessed with some of the most fertile land in the world, plenty of sunshine and abundant water supplies.

About 60% of the total production in this region is seedless. Depending on foreign demand, the tendency in Turkey is towards more production without reducing quality. This has been realized both by increasing viticulture areas throughout the country and utilizing modern viticulture techniques to increase the yield. Raisin production in Turkey totaled 274 thousand tons in 2009, and with this figure Turkey accounts for nearly 26 % of total world raisin production.

Turkish Raisin Production(Quantity:ton)

Years Quantity

2000 255 000

2001 255 000

2002 200 000

2003 215 000

2004 280 000

2005 250 000

2006 274 000

2007 240 000

2008 310 000

2009 274 000

Source:International Nut Council

Dried Apricots

Turkey is at the top of fresh and dreid apricot producing countries with approximately 661 thousand tons of fresh and more than 100 thousand tons of dried apricot production in 2009. Turkey alone meets more than 20% of fresh apricot production and more than 61% of dried apricot production in the world.

Turkish Dried Apricot Production(Quantity:ton)

Years Quantity

2000 88 000

2001 98 000

2002 63 000

2003 94 000

2004 80 500

2005 139 000

2006 90 000

2007 98 000

2008 120 000

2009 100 000

Source:International Nut Council

Apricot cultivation, which is spread across most of the agricultural regions of Turkey, finds its best environment in the Central Eastern Anatolian Region where nearly the half of the crops are produced.

Due to the ecology of province, apricots from Malatya have gained economic value in the form of dried apricot for years. Almost all of the fresh crop in this district is subject to the drying process and at leaset 90-95 % of the dreid apricots produced, is exported.

The most important varieties, according to the quantity produced, are HACIHALİLOĞLU, SOĞANCI, KABAASI AND ÇATALOĞLU.

Dried Figs

Although fig production may show variations between 45-60 thousand tons according to annual climatic conditions, Turkey ranks as the world2s largest supplier of fresh and dried figs. Turkey realizes 25 % of the world's fresh fig production and over half of the