Yahyali, Kayseri, a city located in Central Turkey, is one of the most important apple producers in the country. The district is having the most productive season of the past 10 years and the farmers are very happy with the high productivity this year.
In an area of approximately 3000 hectares, farmers grow 15 varieties of apples including Starking, Golden, Pink Lady and Fuji. Yahyali district ranks among the top five apple producers in Turkey. Producers in the district who use modern agricultural techniques have seen the most productive season for the past 10 years, partly due to weather conditions.
"We produce 15 varieties of apples"
Yahyali Chamber of Agriculture's Chairman Huseyin Genc told AA reporter that thanks to the good weather conditions, they have had a very productive season on an area of 3000 hectares.
Genc continued: "In an area of 1500 hectares, we grow what we call "classic" apple trees, and in the rest we have high-density apple trees. We produce approximately 15 varieties of apples including Starking, Golden, Pink Lady and Fuji. Following the harvest, we spray trees and prepare them for winter. After March, 15 days before the harvest we stop spraying and fertilizing. Around mid-September, we collect apples from short trees and as of the beginning of October we start to collect "classic" apples. Yahyali apples are famous around the world. They have a good aroma. Domestically, we send our apples to Isparta, Istanbul, Antalya, Bursa, Adana, Hatay, Van and Diyarbakir. We also export them to Iraq, Syria, Russia and other countries."
"Half of our apples are exported"
Genc stressed that they have no problems in marketing the product and said: "Half of our apples are consumed domestically and half of them are exported. We expect that our production will increase from 80 thousand tons to 100 thousand tons this year."
"This is the most productive season of the past 10 years"
Traders prefer Yahyali apples because the product does not have the "black spot" disease. Chairman Genc contended: "In our region, after the harvest, we store 40 to 50 thousand tons of apples in cold storages. Currently, apples in the district are sold for 1,5 to 2 Turkish Lira (0,23 to 0,31 Euro) per kilo."
Farmer Sukru Agirtopcu expressed his satisfaction with the harvest. Stating that he's been in the apple business for 20 years, Agirtopcu said that they are satisfied with the production this year. Both in terms of taste and yields, this is the most productive season of the past 10 years, Agirtopcu underlined.
