
Tangerine Harvest in Adana: Challenges and Opportunities
Adana, as one of the most important agricultural centers of Turkey, carries out a great economic activity with the tangerine harvest every year. However, this year, there is a significant decrease in the tangerine harvest due to extremely hot weather conditions. The tangerine harvest, which started in October, W. Murcott The process continues with the collection of tangerines. Farmers enter their gardens, collect the tangerines by hand and load them onto trucks and trailers.
Yield Drops and Prices
Last year, an average yield of 1 million tons of tangerines was obtained, but this year only 500 thousand tons of yield is expected. While an average of 2 tons of tangerines are harvested per acre in the gardens, prices are around 17-18 lira. However, these prices are not enough for farmers to fully reap the rewards of their labor. Yüreğir Chamber of Agriculture President Mehmet Akin Dogan“Mandarin prices are currently ranging between 17-18 lira. When the fruit becomes scarce in the coming days, prices will go up a little more,” he said, making an important assessment of the market.
Input Costs and Exports
Drawing attention to the fact that tangerines and other citrus products are exported to many countries, Doğan said, “We send our products primarily to Russia, the Balkan countries, Europe, Iraq and Central Asian countries. However, this year, citrus is scarce and we cannot give the prices we want despite our high input prices.” While farmers spend 15 lira per kilogram from the branch to the market for their products, rival countries are able to keep these costs at lower levels. In countries such as Egypt, Spain and Morocco, the cost per kilogram is around 10 lira. This situation causes Turkish farmers to experience serious difficulties in selling their products.
Climate Change and Its Effects on Agriculture
Climate change, is an important factor that directly affects the agricultural sector. While citrus fruits are harvested for 9 months in Adana, the extreme heat experienced in May and June this year caused damage to the products. Doğan emphasizes the seriousness of the situation by saying, “This year the yield is very low and the prices are high. Last year, there was a citrus harvest of 3 million 200 thousand tons in Adana, but this year this figure has decreased due to the hot weather.”
Farmers' Demands
Farmers argue that input costs should be reduced. High input costs make it difficult for farmers to sell their products at a competitive price. Doğan expresses the farmers' expectations by saying, "If our input prices are lower, we will be able to sell products at affordable prices and consumers will be able to buy products at affordable prices."
Future of the Market and Prospects
Although this year's tangerine harvest has decreased, farmers are not losing hope. They believe that if market conditions improve and input costs decrease, better yields can be achieved in the coming years. Adana's tangerine production holds an important place in both local and international markets. Therefore, improving and supporting agricultural policies is critical to farmers' future success.
Conclusion: The Importance of Adana Tangerine
Adana tangerine is not only an agricultural product, but also an important part of the economic and social structure of the region. The labor of farmers revitalizes the local economy and contributes to citrus exports throughout the country. Therefore, the future of Adana tangerine is of great importance not only for farmers but for the entire country.