The grape harvest has begun in Sarıgöl
In the Sarıgöl district of Manisa, grape harvesting has begun. Before July 15, the harvest of early grape varieties such as Superiol and Trakya İlkeren was ongoing. Due to the extremely hot weather, the harvest of Seedless Sultaniye grapes in rural areas has started earlier than usual.
In Sarıgöl and its surroundings, agricultural workers start harvesting grapes early in the morning and load the harvested grapes onto trucks to send them to markets in major cities.
In the Sarıgöl Plain, the price for Superiol grapes in the vineyard ranges from 25 to 50 lira per kilogram, depending on quality. On the other hand, Seedless Sultaniye grapes from rural vineyards are priced between 25 and 45 lira per kilogram, depending on quality.
Ilyas Karadağ, a grape producer from the Emcelli neighborhood of Sarıgöl, stated that he sells Superiol grapes at 50 lira per kilogram.
Ali İhsan Ülgen, the President of the Sarıgöl Chamber of Agriculture, mentioned that this year's weather conditions have caused the Sultaniye grapes to mature about 20 days earlier than usual. He noted, "In previous years, the harvest of Sultaniye grapes would start after August 20. This year, the grapes have matured 20 days earlier, and sales have already begun. Our district has grapes for both domestic and export markets. Currently, Sultaniye grapes are being harvested for domestic markets at 25-35 lira per kilogram. I advise grape producers not to sell grapes openly as they can spoil due to the hot weather. This year's dried grape prices are expected to be good because there are no stockpiles of dried grapes from previous years. Even traders are buying last year's dried grapes at 125-150 lira per kilogram. I repeat, do not sell grapes openly; dry them instead. Grapes stored in enclosed spaces are of higher quality. Vineyard workers are closely monitoring the grape bunches every day, so try to sell your grapes at their full value. Purchase them in advance to avoid the issues faced in previous years."