Malatya Apricot Harvest Returns: Agricultural Investment and Export Power

Turkey's Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, İbrahim Yumaklı, highlighted at the 28th Apricot Festival in Malatya how the anticipated bountiful harvest this year, following last year's frost, will shape the national economy and export balance.

Malatya Apricot's Global Competitive Edge

■Malatya alone accounts for 54% of global dry apricot production, representing 28% of the worldwide share.

■Turkey ranks 1st in apricot production; Malatya is the primary driver of this ranking.

■Production growth aligns with the region's portfolio of 53 geographically indicated products.

Investment and Infrastructure Surge

■Over the past 24 years, 75 billion TRY has been invested in agriculture, forestry, and water projects.

■117 new irrigation facilities have been commissioned, bringing 404 kda of land under irrigation.

■This infrastructure contributes an estimated 7 billion TRY annually to the local economy.

Production and Export Outlook

■Apricot-related agricultural output has surged 300% over the same period.

■Crop production rose 120%, large‑cattle inventory 75%, and small‑cattle inventory 55%.

■Poultry stock increased 24‑fold, while aquaculture output grew 9‑fold.

Strategic Security and Food Policy

■Climate change and geopolitical risks have elevated food supply security to a national security priority.

■The ministry aims to boost agricultural production planning from 2024 onward, emphasizing technology‑driven enhancements to strengthen urban production capacities.

■The Apricot Research Institute continues developing new varieties and value‑added products, leveraging domestically produced seed‑extraction machinery to raise efficiency.

Markets will likely view Malatya's resurgence in apricot output as a catalyst for both export growth and regional employment gains. This dynamic could exert modest upward pressure on exchange rates and trigger short‑term liquidity flows into agriculture‑linked equities. Companies operating in export logistics and input supply chains may see heightened investor interest.