Malatya Kayısısı

Malatya Kayısısı is a dried apricot produced exclusively from the Hacıhaliloğlu variety (Prunus armeniaca L., family Rosaceae) grown and processed within the Malatya region of Eastern Anatolia. The European Commission entered it in the register of protected designations of origin on 7 July 2017, by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1220, published in Official Journal L 174. The Single Document was published in Official Journal C 10 on 13 January 2017 under EC No: TR-PDO-0005-01221 with an application date of 13 May 2014. The application was submitted by Malatya Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Malatya Ticaret ve Sanayi Odası). The Turkish national GI registration was published in the Official Gazette of the Turkish Republic dated 28 January 2001, numbered 24301.

Malatya produces approximately 95% of Turkey's dried apricots, and the Hacıhaliloğlu cultivar accounts for the great majority of production. Malatya is internationally known as the Apricot Capital of the World — a designation that reflects both production volume and the distinctiveness of the cultivar's quality under the region's specific climatic conditions.

What makes it distinct

The defining character of Malatya Kayısısı is its exceptionally high drying output — between 22.2% and 29.8% — meaning approximately 3.5 kg of fresh fruit yields 1 kg of dried product. This high ratio reflects the Hacıhaliloğlu variety's naturally high soluble solid content (22–28°Brix at harvest) and the region's climatic conditions: low relative humidity (25–30%) and high temperatures (35–45°C) during harvest and drying season, with arid, cloudless weather that is essential for quality sun-drying.

The product possesses firm texture, rich aroma, high sugar content, uniform yellow colour, and a sweet flavour that lingers after consumption. When attempts are made to cultivate the Hacıhaliloğlu variety outside the designated zone, the result is consistently reduced yield capacity, lower soluble solid content, smaller fruit size, lower drying output, and lower overall fruit quality — confirming the inseparability of the variety's quality from its geographical conditions.

Physical and chemical specifications

The following values are taken directly from the EU Single Document (OJ C 10, 13.1.2017) and the product specification:

Physical characteristics (dried Malatya Kayısısı):

• Colour: Yellow

• Moisture: 20–25% (maximum 25%)

• Dry matter: 75–80% (minimum 75%)

• Fruit shape and texture: Oval; high flesh thickness

Size classification (pieces per kg, dried):

• Water: maximum 25%

• Energy: minimum 200 kcal

• Total sugar: minimum 50%

• Total dietary fibre: minimum 5%

• Potassium (K): minimum 900 mg

Organoleptic characteristics: Firm-textured; rich aroma and sugar content; sweet flavour and aroma after eating.

Production zone

The geographical area is composed of Malatya city centre and its districts, together with four inter-provincial zones: Elazığ-Baskil, Kahramanmaraş-Elbistan, Sivas-Gürün, and Adıyaman-Gölbaşı. The zone sits within the Upper Euphrates basin of Eastern Anatolia at approximately 38°29′03″N, 38°08′11″E. The total area of Malatya region is 12,313 km². The altitude of Malatya city is 910m, descending to approximately 700m in lower districts such as Battalgazi and Kale.

All production steps — sapling planting, irrigation, fertilisation, pruning, harvesting, sulphuring, and drying — must take place within the geographical area.

Climate and geographical factors

The Malatya region has a continental climate with cold winters (minimum −15°C) and hot, arid summers. The annual average temperature is 14–15°C. Average annual precipitation is 350–400mm. The critical climatic factor for Malatya Kayısısı quality is the convergence of conditions during the ripening and drying season: temperatures reaching 35–45°C, relative humidity of 25–30%, and consistently arid, cloudless weather. Rain during this period is the primary factor that deteriorates dried apricot quality.

The high daily temperature contrast during the ripening period drives sugar accumulation in the fruit. Apricot trees require 1,100–1,600 hours of winter cooling below +7.2°C for adequate blossom and fruit set — a requirement that Malatya's cold winters fulfil reliably.

The soils in Malatya apricot orchards are characterised by slightly alkaline (pH 7.5–8.5) clay-rich loamy and loamy soils with high lime content and organic substance levels between low and medium. Salinity problems are absent. Phosphorus and potassium levels are adequate to high. These soil conditions are ideal for the Hacıhaliloğlu variety, which has low adaptation capacity outside the zone.

Production method

Propagation: Malatya Kayısısı are propagated by T-bud grafting onto zerdali rootstocks — local wild apricot trees (Prunus armeniaca var. sylvestris) with small fruits and bitter kernels, valued for their hardiness. Grafted saplings are planted in autumn (November–December), at spacing of 10m × 10m to accommodate the variety's large crown.

Orchard management: Trees are irrigated from early June to the second week of October, predominantly by flood and surface irrigation. Fertilisation follows leaf and soil analysis, using organic manure and synthetic fertilisers. Pruning is carried out in three phases: planting pruning to shape the young tree, formative pruning for canopy establishment (canopy or branch canopy form), and harvest pruning in mature orchards.

Harvest: Harvest occurs when soluble solid content reaches 22–28°Brix and fruit colour turns fully straw yellow. Harvest takes place in the early hours of the day to minimise heat damage. The ground is covered with clean plastic sheeting and trees are mechanically vibrated so fruit drops onto covers. Because ripening is not uniform across the tree, harvest proceeds in three stages: sun-exposed upper fruit first, then middle, then lower sections. Harvest generally begins in early July and continues to mid-August; higher-altitude orchards ripen later.

Sulphuring: Harvested fruit is treated with sulphur dioxide before drying. Fruit is placed in wooden or plastic trays in dedicated sulphuring rooms (typically 250 × 250 × 220 cm). Sulphur is burned in a heated external tray; the resulting SO₂ gas is sealed in the room for 8–10 hours to fully penetrate the fruit. Over-ripe, unripe, and damaged fruit is removed at this stage.

Sun-drying: Sulphured fruit is spread on clean, airy, sunny drying surfaces. Primary drying under direct sun takes 3–4 days until moisture reaches 40–50%, after which pits are manually extracted and fruit is reshaped and returned to drying surfaces for a further 2–3 days. Final moisture content is 20–25%. At this point, product is dispatched to market or cold storage.

Storage: Dried product is stored either in ordinary storehouses or in cold storage at +4°C. At sulphur content of 2,000 ppm, ordinary storehouse life is approximately one year; cold storage extends this to 2–2.5 years.

Control and certification

The competent control authority listed in the EU register is the Malatya Provincial Directorate of Food, Agriculture and Livestock (Karakavak Mah. Ankara Asfaltı 7.km, 44200 Malatya; +90 422 238 01 48–49; bilgi@malatya-tarim.gov.tr). The Provincial Directorate determines whether a sample qualifies as Malatya Kayısısı using a three-stage review: first, shape, weight, colour, and texture; second, smell, aroma, and taste; third, moisture, sugar, mineral, vitamin, fat, protein, and energy analysis. It also verifies geographical origin, production method compliance, and labelling.

Malatya Chamber of Commerce and Industry coordinates the supervisory authority secretariat and inspects enterprises one or twice per year under Ministry food safety regulations. Export companies must obtain a permit from the Provincial Directorate for each product shipment; products are inspected by sampling for insects, fungi, and sulphur dioxide levels.