Last year it was 30 liras, this year it reached 5 liras in the garden! Harvest started at a loss in Adana...

The price per kilogram of orange, which is expected to yield 670 thousand tons this year, is 5-7 lira in the garden.

Harvesting of early Navelina and Fukumoto type oranges has started in Adana, which meets more than 65 percent of Türkiye's citrus needs.

Workers entered the gardens early in the morning to harvest oranges, which are produced on an area of ​​160 thousand decares in Adana. The oranges collected with great effort were sent to Adana to be sold domestically.

WAR ALSO AFFECTED ORANGE

The lack of ship traffic in the Black Sea due to the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine affected oranges as well as lemons and tangerines. Although the yield was abundant this year, the price dropped when the products were exported to the Russian and Ukrainian markets only in small amounts by trucks. Oranges, which were sold for 27 to 32 liras per kilogram in the garden last year, are sold for 5-7 liras this year.

With an average yield of 4 tons per decare, 670 thousand tons of orange yield is targeted across the city this year.

"THE OUTGOING SHIPS ARE NOT ENOUGH"

Speaking to the İHA reporter during the harvest, Yüreğir Chamber of Agriculture President Mehmet Akın Doğan stated that the yield was high and said, "This year the yield is high, but due to the Russia-Ukraine war, it cannot go abroad. That is why the prices are very low. Last year, the price per kilogram in the garden was 27-32 liras, but now it is 5-7 liras. Ships go to Russia and Ukraine from Mersin 1-2 times a week, and from Samsun in the same way to Russia and Ukraine, but that is enough." "It is not," he said.

"LAST YEAR WAS A NONE YEAR, THIS YEAR IS A LOT OF YEARS"

Mayor Doğan said that he wanted freight support to be given with the support of the Support and Price Stabilization Fund (DFIF) and said, "If a support of 5 lira per kilogram is given to the farmer whose product remains on the tree, this is not a lot of money, but it will relieve our farmers. Last year was a poor year due to frost, this year is a very poor year. Lemon and tangerine also have a high yield, but they do not make much money because they cannot be exported."

"WE ARE HARVESTING THE FRUITS TO GET PRODUCTIVITY NEXT YEAR"

Orange producer Vedat Yıldız said, "We have oranges in an area of 240 decares. We get a yield of 150-200 kilograms per tree. Currently, the price per kilogram is 5 liras and the harvest continues. We are harvesting the fruits to get yield next year. Leaving it on the tree does not work. Merchants buy the product for 5-6 liras, but they are not in much demand because ship traffic is closed this year."