Turkish Dried Apricots: Strong 2026 Crop Keeps EU Prices Sideways

Turkish dried apricot prices are broadly steady, with EU FCA and Turkish FOB quotations holding in a narrow range as the 2026 Malatya crop underpins supply and recent weather stays hot and dry. With no fresh shocks to harvest or logistics, the near‑term bias is sideways to mildly firm on premium natural and organic grades. The new‑season export window is now fully open, supported by a large Malatya crop estimated at about 75,000 metric tons and negligible carryover after last year’s frost‑hit season. Export reference boards in Malatya show stable to slightly firmer indicators in TRY and EUR, especially for natural and organic unsulphured grades, while standard sulphured apricots trade in a tight band. In Malatya, hot and sunny conditions this week favour final drying, grading and smooth truck flows to ports, leaving the market focused on demand from the EU and price competition with other dried fruit such as figs and raisins.

Prices

Indicative EU warehouse prices for Turkish dried apricots are broadly flat versus late August, with mainstream sulphured whole fruit for mid sizes clustering around the mid‑single‑digit EUR/kg range FCA, and larger sizes commanding a modest premium. In Malatya, reference boards signal average FOB values near EUR 8.0/kg for standard sulphured and about EUR 8.2/kg for natural unsulphured apricots, with organic material closer to EUR 9.8/kg.

Compared with early summer, export benchmarks have edged slightly higher in EUR terms but remain within recent trading corridors, as the strong 2026 crop offsets the absence of meaningful carryover from the frost‑damaged 2025 season. Market commentary from Turkish and international dried‑fruit analysts characterises the tone as “sideways but firm”, with exporters resisting deep discounts while buyers time coverage carefully into Q4.

Note: All values approximate and converted to EUR for comparability; actual contract levels depend on size, colour, defects, crop year and lot quality.

Supply & Demand

The 2026 Malatya dried apricot crop is assessed by industry and INC sources at around 75,000–80,000 metric tons, well above last year’s frost‑reduced output and sufficient to cover a normal export program. Earlier damage from severe frosts in 2025 removed part of the tree stock and ensured that 2025 supply was exceptionally tight, leaving virtually no carryover into this season.

Export data and local press coverage confirm that Malatya has resumed strong shipping activity in 2026, especially to European markets, where Turkish dried apricots retain a dominant share. Demand from the EU is described as healthy but not overheated; buyers are sensitive to price after two high‑cost seasons, yet they need to rebuild inventories, particularly for bakery and breakfast‑cereal applications.

Fundamentals

Structurally, Malatya remains the backbone of global dried‑apricot supply, providing the majority of world exports and anchoring benchmark pricing. With the 2026 crop, overall fruit quality is reported as slightly below a perfect season due to earlier rain and some hail, but still within exportable norms; this mix favours strong demand for clean, large sizes and premium natural and organic lots, which are priced at a premium over standard sulphured grades.

Competing dried fruits, particularly Turkish figs and sultanas, also show improved availability this year, but early fig pricing remains relatively firm. This cross‑commodity context reduces the incentive for buyers to switch out of apricots based purely on price, limiting downside risk for standard apricot categories in the short term.

Weather Outlook (TR – Malatya)

For the coming three days (2–4 September 2026), Malatya is forecast to remain hot, dry and sunny, with daytime highs around 32–33°C and cool nights near 16–19°C. These conditions are ideal for final sun‑drying, grading and warehouse operations, and there is no rain‑related risk to fruit quality or logistics in the immediate term.

Given that the main drying phase is already advanced, the current weather pattern mainly supports smooth export execution rather than altering the production outlook. Any significant production or quality shocks would now more likely arise from storage or logistics disruptions than from field conditions.

Trading Outlook & 3‑Day Price View

• Short‑term bias: Sideways to mildly firm in EUR, particularly for natural and organic unsulphured grades and large, clean sizes, as buyers seek coverage and exporters defend margins.
• Buyers (EU importers, packers): Consider layering coverage for Q4 2026 and early 2027 at current levels, prioritising premium lots before potential tightening in high‑spec and organic segments.
• Sellers (Turkish packers, traders): Use the stable weather and logistics window to move volume, but keep offers disciplined, especially on superior colour and low‑defect material where competition is limited.
• Risk watch: Monitor TRY/EUR exchange moves and freight rates; a weaker lira or softer container costs could marginally pressure export offers later in the season.

3‑day regional price indication (directional, EUR terms)

• Malatya FOB (all grades): Stable; narrow ±1% intraday moves possible, overall sideways bias.
• EU (NL) FCA import hub: Stable for standard sulphured; slight firming tendency for natural and organic grades as buyers selectively restock.
• TR domestic wholesale (Malatya TRY board, converted to EUR): Broadly steady; modest upward drift possible on premium natural fruit if local demand strengthens.