Frost hits, prices soar: Fruit prices in Istanbul hit record highs

Fruit prices in Istanbul have shown a significant increase due to frost events that occurred in production regions in April. These events negatively affected fruit yields, reducing the amount of produce offered to the market and leading to a rise in prices. Certain fruits, particularly cherries and pears, are being sold at record prices in markets.

While the price of cherries per kilogram ranges between 500 and 600 TL, pears are finding buyers between 180 and 200 TL. A similar price increase is observed in other fruits such as nectarines, grapes, and peaches. Nectarines are being sold for 200-220 TL per kilo, grapes for 150-200 TL, and peaches for around 180 TL.

Wholesale merchant Nurullah Dağıstanlı, explaining the reasons for the increase in fruit prices, said, "Fruit is coming from very few regions during this period. For example, apricots are coming from Mersin instead of Malatya. Even though it is grape season, prices are high. Normally, prices would be low during these months, but they have risen due to the frost events. Our wholesale prices vary between 100 TL, 80 TL, and 200 TL depending on the fruit. While cherries are 350 TL with us, they are sold for 500-600 TL in markets.

The cheapest fruit is watermelon. Since it is not apple season, the price is higher, with a price per kilo of 100 TL. Prices will not fall; fruit is problematic this year. Currently, the most expensive fruits are pears and cherries. Pears are 100-130 TL, apricots are 80-130 TL; these are my own wholesale prices. In markets, they are 30 to 40 percent higher. When you look at market prices, there is no fruit under 200 TL. Grapes are 200 TL, peaches are 180-200 TL, pears are 180-170-200 TL, cherries are 500-600 TL. There is no solution to this. It will be consumed less, it's that simple. When there is frost, the tree that would bear fruit neither blossoms nor bears fruit. This situation will also affect the coming years," he said.

News Source: 12punto