Turkey's Fruit and Vegetable Season Calendar, Month by Month

Produce bought in season tastes better and costs less. Thanks to Turkey's different climate zones, the wholesale market offers a wide range all year round, but every product has its own peak. The calendar below answers the question menu and shelf planners ask most often: what is in season this month? First comes the overall picture by season, then the highlights month by month, and finally how to use this knowledge when buying wholesale.

Winter (December – February)

Winter belongs to citrus and the cabbage family. Oranges, mandarins, lemons and grapefruit from the Mediterranean coast are at their juiciest. Persimmons and kiwis take their place on the shelves. Leafy vegetables grown in cold weather are sweeter and crisper in this period.

• Fruit: orange, mandarin, lemon, grapefruit, kiwi, persimmon, pomegranate (early December), apples and pears (from cold storage), kumquat
• Vegetables: leek, spinach, cauliflower, broccoli, white and red cabbage, collard greens, celeriac, black radish, beetroot, Brussels sprouts, Jerusalem artichoke

Spring (March – May)

The first heralds of spring are green plums and green almonds. Artichokes, broad beans, peas and green garlic arrive at the stalls; the first cherries and apricots appear at the end of May. Strawberries are available from February thanks to greenhouses and peak in April–May. This is also a transition period: winter vegetables fade while summer vegetables still come from greenhouses.

• Fruit: green plum, green almond, strawberry, loquat, first cherries and apricots (May)
• Vegetables: artichoke, broad beans, peas, asparagus, green garlic, purslane (from April), lettuce and herbs

Summer (June – August)

Summer is the most colourful time at the market. Watermelon and melon, peaches, nectarines, apricots and cherries are plentiful. Among vegetables, field-grown tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, courgettes, green beans and okra form the backbone of menus. Field produce is both more aromatic and cheaper than greenhouse produce, so building the summer menu on it makes sense.

• Fruit: watermelon, melon, peach, nectarine, apricot, cherry, sour cherry, mulberry, plum, raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, figs and grapes (from late July)
• Vegetables: tomato, long green, bell, capia and Charleston peppers, aubergine, courgette, green beans, borlotti beans, okra, sweet corn, basil

Autumn (September – November)

Autumn joins the abundance of summer with the robustness of winter. Figs and grapes are still strong in September; pomegranates, quinces, jujubes, cornelian cherries and physalis take the stage. The first mandarins arrive in October, and the citrus season is fully open by November.

• Fruit: pomegranate, quince, grapes, figs, pears, apples, jujube, cornelian cherry, prickly pear, physalis, medlar, chestnut, avocado (from October)
• Vegetables: pumpkin, sweet potato, leek, spinach, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbages, beetroot, celeriac

Month-by-month highlights

The change between seasons is not sharp; the same product can differ in quality and price at the start and end of a month. The list below summarises what is at its peak each month.

• January: orange, mandarin, grapefruit, kiwi; leek, spinach, cauliflower, cabbage, celeriac.
• February: lemons and oranges, the first greenhouse strawberries; collard greens, Brussels sprouts, beetroot, black radish.
• March: the last weeks of citrus; artichokes, spring onions, lettuce and herbs, the first broad beans.
• April: green plums, green almonds, strawberries; artichokes, broad beans, green garlic, asparagus, purslane.
• May: strawberries at their peak, loquats, the first cherries; peas, the end of artichokes, the first field cucumbers.
• June: cherries, apricots, mulberries, the first peaches and melons; green beans, courgettes, cucumbers.
• July: watermelon, melon, peaches, sour cherries; field tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, sweet corn.
• August: figs, grapes, nectarines, watermelon; tomatoes at their peak, okra, borlotti beans, capia peppers.
• September: grapes, figs, pears, the first apples and pomegranates; capia peppers, the last strong weeks of tomatoes.
• October: pomegranates, quinces, apples, persimmons, the first mandarins, chestnuts; pumpkin, sweet potato, spinach, leek.
• November: mandarins, oranges, kiwis, persimmons; cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, celeriac.
• December: citrus, kiwis, the last weeks of pomegranates; the full range of winter vegetables, Jerusalem artichoke.

How the season shifts by region

In Turkey the season of the same product can shift by several weeks from region to region. The Mediterranean coast around Antalya and Mersin leads in winter with its greenhouses and in spring with early field crops. In the Aegean the field season starts a little later and lasts longer. In Central Anatolia, the Black Sea region and high-altitude areas, summer crops ripen later; for cherries and apricots, for example, inland produce keeps reaching the market after the coastal harvest has ended. This shift means many products stay available longer than their "official" season.

Field, greenhouse and storage produce

A product that is available all year does not come from the same source every month. Knowing its three forms helps you set the right expectations:

• Field produce: grown in the open during its season. Usually the best period for flavour and price.
• Greenhouse produce: comes out of season, mainly from Mediterranean greenhouses in winter. It looks uniform and is evenly sized, but costs more than in the field season.
• Storage produce: hardy products such as apples, pears, potatoes, onions and cabbage are kept in cold stores for months after harvest. In winter and spring most of these come from storage.

Available all year

Thanks to greenhouses and storage, some products are at the market all year: tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, aubergines, courgettes, potatoes, onions, carrots, garlic, mushrooms, lettuces and herbs such as parsley, dill, mint and arugula. Among fruit, bananas, lemons, apples, pineapples and mangoes can be supplied all year.

Using the season when buying wholesale

• Rotate the menu with the season. Seasonal produce gives you both a flavour and a cost advantage. Alternating a few dishes on a fixed menu with seasonal options is a natural hedge against price swings.
• Watch the transition weeks. Price and quality vary more in the first and last weeks of a season; planning orders week by week makes this easier.
• Announce out-of-season needs early. For products that can come from cold storage or imports, an early request lets us set aside the right quantity.
• Don't forget desserts and drinks. Fresh orange juice is most economical in winter, lemonade and fruit platters in summer.

Frequently asked questions

Can I order a product that is out of season?

Yes. You can add out-of-season products to your cart as well; our team will tell you about availability and quality.

How can I tell whether a product is in season?

Every product page shows a 12-month season calendar; products in season this month appear at the top of the lists with an "In season" label.

You can always see the current season on our fruit and vegetable pages. For storage tips, read our cold chain guide. Add what you need to your cart and we will send you the price list.