A 66-fold expansion in growing area over 12 years, a 150-million-fruit target for the 2026 harvest, and export markets stretching from the Middle East to Russia: how Alanya became Turkey's avocado center.
Twenty years ago, avocado was barely grown in Turkey at all. Today, it's a well-established and fast-growing export crop centered on Alanya, a district of Antalya. Alanya is now known for more than its tourism — it's also become Turkey's avocado hub.
A sixty-year journey from a fruit native to Mexico
Avocado first arrived in Turkey in 1953, brought in as Mexican-origin saplings for hobby cultivation. The Western Mediterranean Agricultural Research Institute (BATEM) ran field trials in Antalya and Alanya conditions between 1969 and 1983, establishing that Fuerte, Hass, Bacon, and Zutano varieties could adapt to the region and were suitable for commercial growing.
Building on that scientific groundwork, commercial production effectively began in the early 1990s, led by Alanya and followed by Gazipaşa, Anamur, and Mersin, as domestic consumption grew. That expansion, now more than three decades old, made its sharpest leap in the past ten years.
A 66-fold expansion in 12 years
According to Anadolu Agency, avocado growing area in Alanya has expanded 66-fold over the past 12 years. The district now counts around 3,700 registered growers with its Chamber of Agriculture, and the target harvest for the 2026 season stands at 150 million fruit.
That's a concrete measure of how a fruit that existed only in hobby gardens seventy years ago has become a meaningful part of the regional economy. A figure of that scale shows production has moved well past the trial stage into a genuinely scaled agricultural sector.
Production is spreading beyond Alanya
An estimated 60-65% of Turkey's avocado production still takes place in Alanya, with the remaining 35-40% coming from the Mersin and Adana regions. Growing area is also expanding into neighboring districts such as Gazipaşa, Anamur, Silifke, and Erdemli.
That spread means avocado farming is shifting away from a single-district, fragile production base and toward a more resilient supply footprint stretched along the eastern Mediterranean coast. Alongside the Hass, Fuerte, Bacon, and Zutano varieties that BATEM confirmed as commercially viable in the 1990s, growers today also cultivate Ettinger, Pinkerton, and Wurtz.
Domestic demand leads, but exports are rising
Around 70% of production is consumed domestically, with the remaining 30% exported, mainly to the Middle East, Russia, the Caucasus, and Balkan countries. Alanya avocado is harvested between August and May, and export volumes have climbed year after year in step with the growth in planted area.
That makes avocado a fruit worth watching as a rising line item in Turkey's fresh produce export basket — particularly at a stage where the domestic market still absorbs most of production, leaving real room for the export share to keep expanding.
A first in greenhouse production
After a three-year trial in Alanya, Turkey's first-ever greenhouse-grown avocado harvest has taken place. According to the Alanya Avocado Growers' Association, the Pinkerton variety used in the trial stood out for its ability to develop under cover without being affected by winter cold, and the harvested fruit reached at least 400 grams in weight.
This is still an early-stage but genuine technical development, one that could extend the harvest calendar beyond what open-field growing allows under frost risk — a cultivation method worth watching as it has the potential to widen the production season.
Turkey's place in the global picture
World avocado production reached 11.2 million tonnes in 2024, up from 10.5 million in 2023, with Mexico leading the list by a wide margin. Turkey doesn't yet rank among the top producers globally, but industry sources project avocado will become the world's best-selling tropical fruit by 2030.
| Country | Annual Production (2024) |
|---|---|
| Mexico | 2.76 million tonnes |
| Colombia | 1.27 million tonnes |
| Dominican Republic | 1.23 million tonnes |
| Peru | 0.92 million tonnes |
Mexico is also the world's largest avocado exporter: it ran a net export surplus of roughly $4 billion in 2024, and FAO projects it will still hold 53% of global avocado exports by 2033. Alanya's growth pace over the past 12 years is a local example of how Turkey is positioning itself for that rising global demand.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much of Turkey's avocado production comes from Alanya?
An estimated 60-65% of Turkey's avocado production takes place in Alanya, with the remaining 35-40% coming from the Mersin and Adana regions.
Which countries does Alanya avocado get exported to?
About 30% of production is exported, with the Middle East, Russia, the Caucasus, and Balkan countries as the main markets.
When did avocado growing begin in Turkey?
Avocado first arrived in Turkey in 1953 as Mexican-origin saplings for hobby cultivation. After BATEM's scientific trials between 1969 and 1983 identified varieties suited to Alanya's conditions, commercial production effectively began in the early 1990s.
Is avocado grown in greenhouses in Turkey?
Yes — after a three-year trial in Alanya, Turkey's first-ever greenhouse-grown avocado (the Pinkerton variety) has been harvested; this variety can develop under cover without being affected by winter cold.
Which country produces the most avocado in the world?
Mexico is the world's largest avocado producer and exporter, with annual production reaching 2.76 million tonnes in 2024; Colombia and the Dominican Republic follow among the other leading producers.