Sultana Grape Harvest Shows Decline in Manisa

While the yield in Manisa, where the world-famous seedless Sultana grape is grown, has decreased compared to previous years, Manisa Viticulture and Research Institute Director Akay Ünal gave advice to raisin producers to minimize the loss per kilogram. Ünal said, “Loss of raisin yield due to early harvest in a low yield will cause the producer to suffer more losses and get less product. Both the harvest date and removal from the exhibition are especially important in years like this year when the product is low.”

In Manisa, where the world-famous seedless Sultani grape is grown, while the yield increased compared to last year, the yield remained low compared to previous years. The low yield caused by the birth of the grape causes even more yield loss in careless drying and the producer also suffers losses. In order for producers not to experience additional losses in drying, Manisa Viticulture and Research Institute Director Akay Ünal advised dried grape producers to experience the least amount of loss per kilogram. Drawing attention to the decrease in yield, Ünal said, “This year, our Sultani seedless harvest has started. Table harvests are partially continuing, but harvests have also partially started for dried grapes. It will continue for about a month. This year, our harvest is about 10 days early. As our Minister of Agriculture and Forestry announced, although we are in a better position in terms of yield than last year, there is a slight decrease compared to the normal year. This is also due to birth. Even if there are no major problems with quality, there is a decrease in yield this year due to the number of clusters due to births.”

“Early harvest causes weight loss in raisins”

Providing advice to farmers who want to sell their grapes dry, Ünal said, “The most important thing we can pay attention to in the raisin harvest is the accumulation of dry matter. Normally, we need to harvest at 22-23 dry matter. If we harvest earlier, we will have a loss per kilogram. The loss of raisin yield due to early harvest in a low yield will cause the producer to suffer more losses and get less product.”

Emphasizing that removing grapes from the display too early or too late can also cause weight loss, Ünal said, “We cut our product in normal dry matter. We spread it on our display. After that, when we remove it is important. Normally, it should be removed from the display with 11-13 percent moisture content. Most of our producers are experienced. When they take the raisins in their hands, they should not remain in lumps but should be dispersed. If we remove them early, the garbage on the top of the raisins may damage the other raisins. Due to humidity, storage problems occur. If we remove them from the display late, the humidity level drops a lot. Since the humidity level drops a lot, there can be a lot of trouble in winnowing. We winnow these grapes to clean them from the garbage. The grapes fly due to weight loss, which causes yield loss. Both the harvest date and removal from the display are especially important in years like this when the product is low.”

Stating that weather conditions are also important, Ünal said, “Weather is a very big factor for us. The fact that the harvest is about 10 days away this year is due to ecology, namely weather and climate values. Our biggest risk in the exhibition is the rain risk we experienced in previous years. There is no rain risk in the raisin regions at the moment. Our producers need to follow the drying efficiency of the product they spread after dipping it in the right dipping solution. High temperature and light wind are ideal environments for raisins.” – MANİSA