Niğde apple producers face significant losses due to weather and disease

Apple producers in Niğde, a major Turkish agricultural hub, are facing severe financial difficulties following consecutive years of crop issues. After suffering from agricultural frost last year, farmers are now struggling with excessive rainfall, hail, and black spot disease this season.

Due to these quality issues, much of the harvest has lost its suitability for fresh market sale and is being diverted to juice factories. This shift has caused prices to plummet from expected levels of 9 to 12 lira per kilogram down to just 2.5 to 3 lira.

Farmers report that these low prices are insufficient to cover even basic labor and harvesting costs. Some producers have expressed that they are forced to leave fruit on the trees or on the ground because the cost of collection exceeds the potential revenue.