Few people realize the size of the sweet cherry industry in Turkey.
At an average of 155,000 tons per year, Turkish cherry production rivals that of the United States, which is first in the world. This fact is also of great concern to cherry growers in western Europe, who feel threatened by a Turkish industry that can produce huge quantities of relatively cheap cherries, thanks to low labor costs, and sell them in markets throughout Europe. No one knows for sure the potential size of the sweet cherry industry in Turkey. One scientist estimated that production would be at 250,000 tons in 10 to 15 years, but another scientist felt a doubling of production was not an unreasonable expectation in the next decade. It is not surprising to see a large cherry industry in Turkey.