Cherry producers in the Akşehir district of Konya are expecting this year's harvest to be over 20,000 tons, thanks to the rainfall during the spring months.
Akşehir, one of Konya's major cherry-producing districts, has gained recognition both domestically and internationally with the "Akşehir cherry," which was registered in 2004.
The cherry from Akşehir, known for its aroma, resilience, and delicious taste, is eagerly awaiting the harvest season, influenced by the climatic conditions of the Akşehir Lake basin.
Akşehir Chamber of Agriculture President Fahri Küçükpolat stated that this year's cherry yield is expected to be good due to the abundance of spring rainfall. He indicated that the cherry production expectations are high, and they anticipate the harvest to surpass 20,000 tons, compared to last year's 15,000 tons. He also mentioned that the rainfall this year has been timely, contributing to the positive outlook for the crop.
Küçükpolat highlighted that there is only a short time left until the cherry harvest begins and stated, "We can say that the cherry harvest will start in about 10 days. About 80% of the cherries grown in the orchards in Akşehir are of the high-quality variety known as 'Napoleon.' Approximately 70% of these cherries are exported, and the remaining 30% find buyers in the domestic market."
Yılmaz, expressing their expectations for a good harvest season, recorded the following:
"This year, the abundance of spring rainfall has contributed to the cherry's increased productivity and quality. We are expecting to harvest approximately 70-80 kilograms of cherries per tree, and it might even go higher. On a per-hectare basis, we anticipate an average yield of around 4 to 5 tons."
