ANKARA: In Mersin, Turkey, the lemon yield and exports have declined, but the prices have risen. Last year lemons were bought from the growers for around €0.30, this has increased by 50% this year to €0.45.
In 2014, the city harvested 650,000 tons of lemons, this figure fell to 500,000 in 2015. According to the Mediterranean Exporters Association (AKIB) in 2014 in the June to December period, the most lemons were exported to Russia, 18.64 million dollars worth, in the same months in 2015, this figure fell to 11.15 million dollars.
The second highest volume of exports was made to Iraq, in the last 6 months of 2014, 9.2 million dollars of exports were realised, in 2015 this figure decreased to 8.16 million dollars worth. The only country to which exports increased is Poland, in the last 6 months of 2014, 3.7 million dollars of exports were realised, in 2015 this figure increased to 6.38 million dollars worth of exports.
According to the Citrus Producers Association chairman, Ahmet Dursun Sahin, if Russia had not imposed sanctions, it would have been a brilliant season, as in spite of low yields the rising lemon prices and sales pleased growers. Citrus production in Turkey has reached around 1 million tons, Sahin states,
“In Turkey 60% of lemons are grown in Mersin. Compared to last year our yield is low. Unpredictable weather caused serious crop losses. Prices had to increase because farmers suffered 30% losses and would have been in a terrible situation. Now they are pleased with lemon sales and the prices are satisfactory.”
