Dried Fruits & Nuts: Turkey’s Volatile Supply Chain, $2.5B Exports

Sourcing Volatility Defines Türkiye’s Nut and Fruit Market

Turkey (Türkiye) remains the undisputed global leader in Dried Fruits and Nuts, commanding the supply chain for key commodities such as Hazelnuts, Dried Apricots, and Dried Figs. The sector’s annual Exports surpass 2.5 billion dollars, making it a cornerstone of the country’s Economy and a critical Supplier to the European and American food Manufacturing industries. However, the 2025 season is defined by acute volatility driven by weather damage and complex market policy.

• Hazelnut Dominance: Turkey supplies around 70 percent of the world’s Hazelnuts and generated over 1.61 billion dollars in Exports in the first nine months of 2025. However, frost and pest damage caused significant projected production shortfalls for the 2025 crop (forecasts range from 449,000 MT to 601,000 MT, a sharp drop from the previous year’s harvest). This shortage is expected to push global prices steeply upward.
• Dried Fruits: Türkiye’s dried fruit Exports totaled 1.22 billion dollars in the first nine months of 2025. Dried Apricot Exports fell by 24.1 percent due to frost damage in Malatya, while Dried Figs maintained stable volumes. The Sourcing priority is shifting to quality control, as high rejection rates for figs at the EU border (due to aflatoxin) pose both cost and reputational risks for Suppliers.

Nearshoring and Trade Diversification Strategy

Despite the domestic production risks, Turkey maintains its crucial role due to its strategic Nearshoringposition and integrated Manufacturing base.

• Premium Quality and Traceability: Turkish Suppliers focus on delivering BRC AA grade quality and full traceability, which is essential for major EU confectionary and snack food manufacturers. This competitive edge, rooted in quality rather than low price, makes Türkiye irreplaceable in the Textiles and food Sourcing sectors (Internal Link: Home Textiles: Bedding & Linen Exports).
• Market Expansion: Recognizing that European consumption has reached maturity, the industry is aggressively diversifying its Trade focus. Asia, particularly China and India, is targeted as the next major growth market for Hazelnuts and Pistachios. Turkey’s strong Logistics network is vital for this long-distance Exports strategy.

Investment Focus and Economy Challenges

Foreign Investment in this sector centers on advanced processing, packaging, and agricultural technology to mitigate climate and quality risks.

• Climate Resilience: Significant Investment is being poured into R&D for biological pest control (e.g., releasing 200,000 Samurai wasps in 2024 and targeting 1 million in 2025 for stinkbug control) and developing weather-resilient farming techniques.
• Currency and Costs: The sector is stressed by the government’s high-interest rate policy, which strengthens the Lira, making Turkish Exports more expensive on the global Trade market and complicating long-term contract pricing. This internal Economy pressure forces Suppliers to be highly efficient in their Manufacturing and Sourcing (Internal Link: Turkish Lira’s Calculated Resilience).

Next Steps for Global Buyers

For global food producers, securing consistent supply from Turkey / Türkiye in 2025 requires early forward contracting and prioritizing Suppliers with proven traceability and robust quality assurance systems.

For tailored strategies on securing high-quality Hazelnuts, Dried Apricots, and Figs, and for consulting on Investment in climate-resilient processing Manufacturing in Turkey, contact the experts at Burc Consulting.