Fruits in Turkey

The fruit that grows in Turkey is distributed and sold to many countries in Europe and Russia. However, fruits that can be tasted and harvested in a place are much tastier. Thanks to its favorable geographic location, warm climate and fertile lands, Turkey is famous for its abundance of fruits and vegetables, their excellent taste and quality. 75 kinds of fruit grow in this country. While in Turkey, try different fruits and vegetables to discover new flavors.

Fruits growing in Turkey

This will increase immunity, which is especially important during infections, and they are particularly healthy and beneficial for children. Leading a healthy lifestyle and being on a diet is good for your body and mind.

Some fruits only appear in shops and markets during ripening, but most are available all year round. In Turkey, it is forbidden to treat fields with chemicals. And without that, the harvest is mad2 times a year.

Fresh juice stalls are in the streets and bazaars, where you can buy squeezed juice is made of orange, pomegranate, grapefruit, lemon etc. In the tourist resort of Alanya, so-called kiosks with fresh juices and carbonated drinks, or fresh juice carts, are in many places, especially close to the port. In Istanbul, once a week, when bazaar day is held, and the prices are much lower than in the shops. 

All fruits of Turkey can be divided into:

• exotic;
• citrus;
• melons;
• others.

Below you can see what fruits grow in Turkey: their description and photos.

Exotic fruits

The most interesting crops grown in Turkey:

1. 

    Quince - This is something between an apple and a pear. This fruit is sweet and juicy. Eaten fresh look more like a pear. The rounder varieties are harder and sourer and are only used for cooking. This is a winter fruit, but in large supermarkets in Istanbul and resort cities, quince is sold all year round. It keeps well, so you can bring it home.
2. Garnet - During the fruit ripening season (October - December), you can buy 1 kg of fruit for $ 1. The pomegranate is sweet and juicy. Different varieties differ in the colour of the grains - from whitish-pink to burgundy. This fruit is a powerful antioxidant. In addition, it is good for the heart and blood vessels. The best fruits are dense, firm with a dark red or burgundy peel from Gazipasha.
3. Ziziphus -. Cross between date nut and an apple. It is rich in potassium and good for the cardiovascular system. The taste is sweet, with a slight sourness. There is a large bone inside. Fruit colour - from greenish-brown to chocolate.
4. Fig - According to tourists, it is considered one of the best fruits in Turkey. The taste is honey-sweet, astringent. Figs do not tolerate storage and transportation. Izmir fig and white varieties are famous.
5. Medlar - Fruit of the rose family. Brownish or yellowish in colour, bunches of fruits the size of a plum are slightly resembling tomatoes, and have some sourness. They contain a large amount of vitamin C. The fruit is eaten in a peel, the hard part is taken out. The fruits are not suitable for transportation.
6. Mango - Does not grow in Turkey. But in 2019, an unusual plantation appeared in the resort place of Alanya, where these fruits, as well as lychees, passion-fruit and other exotic fruits, are grown especially for tourists.

Citrus fruits

Citrus fruits are familiar to oranges, lemons, tangerines, grapes. There are many varieties of these fruits. They are harvested almost all year long because the ripeness of each species comes at a different time.

Fruit trees adorn the streets and grow near hotels. In autumn or winter, trees with bright fruits are admired by tourists. However, these are most often oranges -  fruit mistaken with tangerines.

The most delicious - Washington oranges are grown near the Kemer resort. Bodrum tangerines are considered the best.

Grapefruit main feature is to remove excess water, toxins and carcinogens from your body. They are actively used for weight loss. They contain large amounts of vitamin C. The main varieties in Turkey: Marsh, Henderson, Star Ruby, Rio Red.

Turkish lemons are sour than others. Their main property is to increase immunity.

Different types of Berries 

The fruits we are familiar with are also growing in Turkey:

1. Strawberry. Turkey is one of the main produces of strawberries because the country has 4 climatic zones: continental, Mediterranean, the Black Sea and Marmara region, and so, strawberries can be grown in almost all regions of the country. Each of them has its own fruit ripening season. In addition, in some places, the berries are cultivated in greenhouses. However, the best period is to buy them in months from March - June and then after the seasonal period, from September - November. 
2. Sweet cherry. Turkey is considered the birthplace of these fruits. There are 24 varieties of them. The most delicious of them are the fruits of the Napoleon variety. In most cases, sweet cherries in Turkey are grown without the use of chemical additives and fertilizers. The sweetest varieties of this berry are called "Kiraz".
3. Cherry. It is sourer than sweet cherries but less in calories. Cherries grown in Turkey are large and tasty. They have antipyretic properties, quench thirst. Sour varieties are cultivated in Afyonkarahisar.
4. Grapes. More than 100 varieties of this fruit are grown in Turkey, which allows it to be harvested almost all year round. Many varieties are seedless. Grapes are eaten both fresh and dried. It is used to make juice, wine and local vodka - "Raki".

Melons and gourds

Melon and watermelons start early in Turkey. They are early ripening varieties, but they are tasteless and expensive. It is not recommended to buy melons and gourds before July.

Ripe melons are soft and tender. The most delicious, according to tourists, Kirkagac melon. The unusual appearance of the fruit with grey spots and pear-shaped immediately attracts attention.

Turkish watermelons are large in size. Some specimens reach 40 kg.

Other fruits

Turkey's warm climate and fertile soil are conducive to the growth of many different fruits. Some of them:

1. 

    Apricots - The country is considered the main supplier of these fruits throughout the world. The best varieties come from the Ygdir region, next to Armenia. Shalakh apricots are recommended to buy.
2. Mulberry - These berries are similar to blackberries but grow on a mulberry tree. The first ripe fruits are considered the sweetest. They start in April.
3. Plums - They ripen from April to October. In spring, green fruits are widely used in Turkey: pickled, used for cooking, eaten fresh. They are hard, have a slight sourness, but refresh well in the summer heat. Popular varieties - Ugorka.
4. It is better to buy nectarines and peaches from the middle of August. One of the best varieties is Seftali.
5. Apples and pears - They are the most popular among the local population. The greatest demand is for apples: Ferik and Amasya varieties, and Devedji pears.
6. Persimmon - These are large fruits ripen in Turkey. Some of them have an astringent taste due to their tannin content, such as the Bull Heart variety. Usually, Persimmon has a sweet taste, and its content is slimy-like. 
7. In the south-eastern regions, Cavendish or dessert bananas are grown. They are short and thick, and should be eaten fresh, but can be used for baking, ice-cream decoration etc.
8. Date nuts - The yellow-brown sweet fruit is grown in southern Turkey. Locals often use them for cooking, putting in different fillings.

Ripening by seasons

Some fruits that cannot be stored for a long time (cherries, apricots, mulberries, etc.) can only be tasted during ripening and collection.

Winter (December, January and February)

Pomegranates, quince, strawberries and citrus fruits are sold throughout the winter season. The cheapest bananas are in December. In addition to the fruits mentioned, in January you can buy avocados and some varieties of grapes. In February, the harvest of most varieties of oranges is completed. Quince is tart and aromatic in winter, in contrast to the warmer autumn months when it is softer and sweeter.

Spring (March, April, May)

Lemons are harvested in March. In April, medlar ripens, strawberries grown in the open field appear. They will be there until the end of May. Greenhouse berries are getting cheaper. May marks the beginning of the collection of melons and apricots. However, they are still tasteless and hard. Some varieties of sweet cherry appear.

Summer (June, July, August)

June has the most fruits. Apricots, nectarines, plums, figs ripen. The collection of medlar, sweet cherry and melons continue. You can also buy the latest strawberries grown in the garden, and cherries. The best melons are sold in July.

It is better to buy watermelons in August. At this time, they are the tastiest, sweetest and most juicy. Then the first peaches appear, but they are still hard. In August, pears, apples and grapes ripen.

Autumn (September, October and November)

September is the end of the watermelon season. Peaches, figs and grapes gain sweetness and become soft and juicy. In October, you can buy persimmons, pomegranates and quince cheaper than the rest of the time. Citrus fruits are harvested in large quantities. Bananas, oranges and tangerines are sold cheap in November.

Fruit ripening table by month:

Turkish vegetables

Vegetables in Turkey make up the bulk of food. You can try zeytinyagli(olive oiled) - stewed green beans with onions and tomatoes, imam bayildi - stuffed eggplant, kisir - bulgur with tomatoes, herbs and lemon juice, meze - an artichoke appetizer with celery.

The warm climate favours the growth of tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, onions, peppers, zucchini and eggplants. Many products are the same as in Europe or Russia. However, some of them, although similar in appearance, differ from them in taste.

An example is the long Turkish cucumber called "hita". Belongs to the pumpkin family and is a type of melon.

In addition to the vegetables we are familiar with, thorny zucchini (see photo), okra, artichoke, taro, Momordica, are grown in Turkey. Unusual fruits are not only delicious but also have great health benefits:

1. Okra  - improves the condition of the digestive system. Due to the high content of mucus, the pulp envelops the stomach and promotes the healing of ulcers. In addition, it has bactericidal properties.
2. Taro (eddo) - used to prevent cancer, reduce the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. This fruit lowers blood pressure, improves the functioning of the heart, immune and digestive systems.
3. Momordica - heals gastrointestinal ulcers, has bactericidal properties, reduces the risk of cancer, strengthens the immune system.

In addition to the above, there are many other vegetables in Turkey: beets, asparagus, carrots, broccoli, radishes, celery, etc. Green beans are very popular. It is used to make side dishes and stews. Lentils and chickpeas are often used to prepare traditional dishes.

Where to buy fruit in Turkey

It is believed that the best place to buy fruits and vegetables is the bazaar, as there you can bargain and taste the offered fruits. Their selection is wider than in stores. In addition, there is no need to fear the environmental friendliness of products.

However, the Turkish market differs only slightly from the supermarket. The same products are supplied everywhere. Sometimes the prices in stores are even lower. In some places, the fruits are treated with special compounds for longer storage.

Tourists who have visited Turkey distinguish the following fruits:

• figs
• melons
• watermelons
• medlar
• bananas

EXPORT OF TURKISH FRUIT
The following fruit products or types of fruit are suitable as gifts for relatives and friends:

• Dried figs or jam. The fruit grown in Turkey is considered the best in the world.
• Mandarins, especially popular during the Christmas season.
• Fruit wines, they are of high quality, made from ripe fruits - figs, mulberries, strawberries and grapes.
• Local vodka called raki, a high-proof drink made from fruit juice.
• Do not buy wine during a wine tasting on excursions. You can buy the same product much cheaper in the supermarket.