Weight of Plum was sold for 8000 TL: Price dropped to 400 TL

The price per kilogram of plums being harvested in the greenhouses of Silifke, Mersin has dropped to 400 TL, and it has been exported to countries like Dubai, Qatar, Canada, the UK, and Germany in addition to the domestic market. Plum harvest, starting under cover in Mersin, a significant agricultural production center in Turkey, is still ongoing, especially in the greenhouses of the Mut and Silifke districts, where the price per kilogram of plums has dropped from 8000 TL to 400 TL. Plums picked by agricultural workers from the branches are sorted into packages according to their sizes with the help of machines. Subsequently, plums finding buyers between 800 and 400 TL are delivered to traders in the Keben District, and they are sent to both the domestic market and for export. It was noted that plums are in demand especially from foreign countries like Dubai, Qatar, Canada, the UK, and Germany. Agricultural Engineer Mustafa Kucur stated, “Currently, our plums are being sold for around 400-600-800 TL depending on their quality. We are currently sending the harvested product to both export and the domestic market. There is a plum orchard of approximately 3000 acres in the Goksuvadisi, but the yield is very low this year between one-third and one-fourth. The yield has decreased due to climatic reasons, cold temperatures, and excessive consumption of flower buds by birds.” Volkan Sümbül, who produces in a 5-acre greenhouse, also said that they started harvesting under cover and are happy with the prices. Sümbül stated that the harvest will continue for about a month more and added, “We closed our greenhouses in the first week of January. The winter conditions were a bit unfavorable. January was very warm and passed like spring weather. In February, we experienced very cold weather during the flowering period. We had to constantly heat the greenhouse by lighting the stove. Also, this year, a large number of birds came to the region. Birds caused great damage by eating the opening flowers. Today, we completed our first harvest and made sales at prices ranging from 400-600-800 TL. If exports continue in this way, the producer will be happy.” Sümbül stated that he aims to produce 12 tons of yield from the 5 acres under cover and complete the harvest in mid-April.