Turkish Pear Exports: Santa Maria, Deveci and Regional Varieties

Export-oriented varieties, growing regions and geographically-indicated pears from Turkey, the world's 4th-largest pear producer.

Turkey is the world's 4th-largest pear producer, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, ranking behind China, Argentina and the United States. According to sector sources, production hit a historic peak of over 630,000 tons in 2024, then fell to roughly 425,000 tons in 2025 — a decline of more than 30% — due to spring frost damage. Bursa is the country's top pear-producing province, with Ankara in second place.

Summer and winter: two pears, two markets

Turkey's most-exported variety is Santa Maria — a summer pear grown across a wide geography spanning Bursa, Ankara, Balıkesir, Aydın, Manisa, İzmir, Muğla and Çanakkale; its road-durable structure and long shelf life make it a favorite in the German and Russian markets. Deveci, harvested in October, is a winter pear whose long storage life makes it, alongside Santa Maria, one of the two main lines behind Turkey's pear exports to Germany.

Ankara Armudu follows a different pattern: native to Ankara-area districts such as Çubuk, Kızılcahamam, Nallıhan, Kalecik, Güdül, Ayaş and Kazan, this winter variety stores well but remains largely oriented to the domestic market.

Geographically-indicated pears

Two registered geographical indications stand out among Turkish pears. Bursa Santa Maria Armudu was registered as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) in December 2022 — reinforcing the quality credentials of Turkey's leading export variety. Korkuteli Karyağdı Armudu, native to the Korkuteli district of Antalya, is a separate variety registered in 2018; it's sometimes confused locally with "Ankara pear," but is botanically distinct — it lacks the gritty stone-cell texture found near the core in Ankara Armudu.

2026 season outlook

According to sector sources, the 2026 Santa Maria season got off to a stronger start following 2025's frost-reduced low yield; demand from Russia and Europe — especially Germany — remains strong, with Germany buying steady volumes at stable prices. Germany is the EU's 3rd-largest pear importer (around 164,000 tons), where Turkish pears sell alongside Italian Abate Fetel and Santa Maria varieties.

What quality control actually looks at

Pear is one of the few fruits harvested before full ripeness on the tree and ripened afterward, so the harvest decision hinges directly on firmness measurement: Bartlett destined for long-term controlled-atmosphere storage is picked at around 19.5 lbf, D'Anjou at around 15 lbf, while ready-to-eat texture falls in the 2-4 lbf range. Once target firmness is hit, the harvest window is narrow — 4-7 days for Bartlett, 7-10 days for D'Anjou. Storage runs at -1 to 0.5°C and 90-95% humidity; Bartlett holds about 3 months in regular storage, up to 6 months under controlled atmosphere.

Storage disorders a buyer knows to look for include core breakdown/"brownheart" (browning and softening near the core from elevated CO2 and mistimed harvest), scald (diffuse brown skin discoloration that surfaces after months in storage), and watery breakdown (rapid enzymatic flesh collapse, usually appearing during post-storage ripening) — all three are largely preventable with correct CO2 management and prompt pre-cooling. Stem condition matters too: excessively long, rough stems ("rat tails") are treated as a distinct defect category, since an open stem scar is an entry point for decay.

MC Sarıkaya Gıda supplies Akça, Santa Maria, Kırmızı Armut (Red Pear), Williams (Bartlett), Deveci and Ankara Armudu. Visit our pear product page for full variety and season details.

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