Dried figs: low supplies drive market

Mundus Agri. Fig producers in Aydin have not witnessed any rain or snow so far but this may change soon. Exports declined sharply at the start of the year.

Rain urgently required

With daytime temperatures ranging at 15C (59F) it is simply too warm for the fig trees to get a rest. Producers are hoping for rain, frost, and snow, which has been forecast in some parts of Turkey - how far the orchards will profit, however, remains to be seen.

Export prices have risen on the back of limited supplies of high-quality dried figs. Traders expect export demand to pick up again in the next few weeks. Yet, the Turkish lira has lost in value against the US dollar and the euro.

Sluggish exports

Turkey only shipped 712 mt of dried figs and related products overseas in the first week of January, which is a sharp decline on the 1,219 mt registered in the same week last year. At 31,081 mt total exports for the season range slightly lower than last year.