First cherry harvest of northern hemisphere begins in Manisa

MANISA

Cherry producers in the western province of Manisa, renowned as the place where the first cherries in the northern hemisphere are cultivated, are brimming with optimism as the season’s inaugural harvest commences.

Anticipating robust yields and favorable prices, producers are confident that this year’s harvest will maintain the high standards expected from the region.

In the orchards of Sancaklıbozköy neighborhood in the Şehzadeler district, where the first cherries of the season are plucked, producers are hard at work. Ilyas Coşkuner, a local producer, shared his satisfaction with the early harvest and expressed hope for a prosperous season ahead.

"We had our first harvest on April 13 and today marks our third. The harvest season spans two months in our region, with a diverse array of cherry varieties," he explained.

"We are optimistic about both our yield and the market prices. Our cherries undergo intensive labor and incur high labor costs. We remain hopeful that prices will not dip below 100-150 Turkish Liras [$3-$4.6] per kilogram on average."

The cherries cultivated in Şehzadeler are prized not only for their taste but also their economic significance, with a substantial portion exported to European countries, Russia, Eastern markets and Iraq.

The commencement of the harvest season was marked by a ceremony attended by local dignitaries, lncluding Şehzadeler Mayor Gülşah Dürbay who addressed participants, drawing attention to sustainable agricultural practices and wished the season to be auspicious. "I expect the cooperation of all our fellow citizens in order to keep our cherry organic and to reduce the carbon footprint by keeping up with the green transformation."

After the speech, the first cherry of the year was put up for sale. The 30 kilograms of cherries belonging to İlyas Coşkuner were bought at the symbolic price of 500 liras per kilogram.