A special association was established to improve the quality of the Antep cherry which is firstly being exported to Russia. 150 tons of Antep cherry exports are being carried out, on the market a kilo of the cherries is sold for between €1.25-1.40.
In Gaziantep, a city near the Turkish-Syrian border, Antep cherries, known for their great taste, are now entering the global market. The cherries are being produced in 15 of the city’s villages. To promote the early ripening variety of cherry, the Gaziantep Sehitkamil Chamber of Agriculture, established the Cherry Manufacturers Association. The association has started to export the Antep cherries, firstly to the important Russian market. The association is now working with farmers in the region to increase production. Moreover, they are aiming to rapidly expand membership from 40 members to 200.
Gaziantep Sehitkamil Chamber of Agriculture chairman, Cuma Yigit explains how Antep cherries are different to the newspaper ‘Dunya’, “It was difficult to sell our quality cherries because they were not well known. We took action to make this happen. We established the Cherry Manufacturers Association in May to benefit producers. Cherries grown in our region mature earlier than other regions. We rank second in this respect in Turkey,” he said.
Yigit discusses the exports to Russia, “Russia is a good and important market. Adana and Maras cherries are selling for between €0.47-0.63, Gaziantep cherries sell for between €1.25-1.40. For two years in the region we have been working on basic inventory studies. We gathered with our farmers at meetings and as a result of these inventory studies we established our association.”
Yigit explains that in the coming year, they aim to increase the amount of exports being sent and improve the quality, “We will study the benefits of drip and pressurised irrigation systems.”
