While Turkey's leading cherry grower Alara has access to a new market in China, the group sees strong demand in the EU and Russia. 

In a statement given to www.freshfruitportal.com, a spokesperson for the company said the Turkish cherry season looked set to start in mid-May with volumes to carry through to the last week of July.

"Up until now there have been no climate-related problems in terms of adverse impacts on cherry production. We hope that the size and fruit quality will be good for this year," said Senih Yazgan, chairman of the Uludag Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters Association which counts Alara as one of its members.

"This year will be to understand of China market condition for Turkish exporters. Therefore I expect that limited amount of cherry will be exported for 2016. I guess that main cherry export to China will be taking place in 2017.

"We will plan to send the products by air for this year, but we are organizing full cargo flight and sea transportation for the next year."

Yazgan said Turkey's main cherry variety was 0900 Ziraat, while production has increased over recent years for varieties like Regina, Kordia, Sweetheart and Skeena.

"Ziraat variety’s characteristics are very similar to the Regina. It has long stem, dark red color, sweet and hard."

The executive said Alara had never sent any crops to China before, and had mostly focused on exporting cherries and black figs to EU countries.

"And there is big demand for Turkish cherry and black fig from all EU countries and Russia.

"In other words, Russia has not embargoed cherries and black figs from Turkey. Therefore the prices of these products are still high."

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