Adana lemon producers face export delays due to Black Sea shipping disruptions

Lemon producers in Adana, Turkey, are facing significant export challenges due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. While the harvest for Mayer lemons began on September 11, the disruption of ship traffic in the Black Sea has prevented access to major markets like Russia and Ukraine, causing a slowdown in harvesting activities compared to previous years.

Local officials, including Yüreğir Chamber of Agriculture President Mehmet Akın Doğan, report a lack of transport vehicles and buyers in the region. Producers are currently facing competition from lemons sourced from Argentina and South Africa, which are supplying much of the European market. However, experts anticipate that demand for Turkish lemons may increase in October once the supply from Argentina and South Africa diminishes.

In Adana, where 218,000 decares of land are dedicated to lemon production, the target yield is 710,000 tons. Despite the export hurdles, discussions are reportedly ongoing at ministerial and presidential levels to establish alternative shipping routes from Mersin and Iskenderun ports to Saint Petersburg and Leningrad.