The snow and cold have struck the backbone of the city: We have lost the entire crop.

12.04.2025 15:10

In Malatya, which accounts for 85% of the world's dried apricot production, the agricultural frost that followed the heavy snowfall has impacted the apricot, which is the backbone of the city's economy. Özcan, the President of the Malatya Commodity Exchange, stated, "The situation we see is very dire. We have lost all of the apricots, from which we generate over 500 million dollars in annual revenue."

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After the effective snowfall in Malatya, the agricultural frost affected the apricot orchards. Mayor Sami Er stated that they are facing a heartbreaking scene.

Mayor Er noted that they are standing by the farmers during this process, stating that they will initiate efforts to heal the wounds by starting a dialogue with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı. He emphasized that apricot producers will not be left alone, and that relevant institutions and organizations have begun their fieldwork for damage assessment, and they will meticulously evaluate the data obtained from these studies to decisively determine the steps to be taken.

"SECOND DISASTER AFTER FEBRUARY 6"

Oğuzhan Ata Sadıkoğlu, Chairman of the Malatya Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MTSO), stated, "The agricultural frost that occurred in apricots is a second disaster after February 6. Our Malatya should be declared a Disaster Area Affecting General Life, and damage assessments should be carried out meticulously to provide comprehensive support."

"THE PICTURE WE SEE IS VERY GRIM"

Ramazan Özcan, President of the Malatya Commodity Exchange (MTB), emphasized that the situation in Malatya is very bad, stating, "We conducted inspections in the apricot orchards affected by the agricultural frost that started last night. The picture we see is very grim. We have lost all of the apricots from which we earn over 500 million dollars annually."

"WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT A LOCAL CRISIS"

President Özcan stated that the situation is a natural disaster, saying, "In addition to the product, the apricot trees have also been affected by the frost. We are not talking about a local crisis. The situation is very bad across the city. We are facing an event affecting all products except barley and wheat. In the coming minutes, we will hold a meeting chaired by the Governor to evaluate what can be done regarding the compensation of our producers' losses and to create a roadmap."

SUBSTANTIAL CROP LOSS IN ELAZIĞ AS WELL

On the other hand, heavy snowfall was effective in the Keban district of Elazığ. Due to agricultural frost, apricot, walnut, and almond trees suffered significant damage. Producers stated that they have already lost a large part of this year's crop. The scene in the fruit orchards was horrifying.