Product

Dried apricots from Türkiye: what to specify when you source them

Lotvela · Gaziantep · Checked 27 October 2026 · Reviewed by Ömer Faruk Erdoğan

Malatya grows more than half of Türkiye's apricots, mostly for drying, and "Malatya Kayısısı" is both a Turkish designation of origin (2001) and an EU PDO (2017). To source dried apricots from Türkiye, specify the form (sulphured or unsulphured; whole, halves, diced or paste), the UNECE DDP-15 class and size code, maximum moisture, defect tolerances, a sulphur dioxide range within the EU limit of 2,000 mg/kg, the crop year and packing. Dried apricots from Türkiye are not under EU increased border controls at present, and the EU tariff preference needs a EUR.1 or an origin declaration.

Malatya and the "Malatya Kayısısı" name

A 2026 Ministry of Trade report puts Türkiye's 2024/25 output at 1,290,440 tonnes of apricots and 107,517 tonnes of dried apricots, 64 % of the world total on International Nut and Dried Fruit Council data. Malatya exports about 90–95 % of the apricots it dries.

Türk Patent registered "Malatya Kayısısı" as a designation of origin (menşe adı), no. 32, from 28 January 2001, on an application by the Malatya Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The area is Malatya province plus Baskil (Elazığ), Gürün (Sivas), Gölbaşı (Adıyaman) and Elbistan (Kahramanmaraş).

The EU registered it as a PDO by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1220, from 7 July 2017; eAmbrosia still listed it as registered (PDO-TR-1221) on 27 October 2026. The EU name covers only dried Hacıhaliloğlu apricots: yellow, at most 25 % moisture, grown, sulphured and dried inside the area. Packs must show the lot number, size number and logos.

Varieties

The Turkish registration names six varieties: Hacıhaliloğlu, Hasanbey, Kabaaşı, Soğancı, Çataloğlu and Çöloğlu. Fresh Hacıhaliloğlu fruit weighs 25–35 g; Hasanbey 45–60 g. Name the variety if it matters; on UNECE labels it is optional.

Product forms

Sulphured (golden): exposed to sulphur dioxide before drying, then sun-dried and pitted by hand. The Turkish registration describes it as uniformly yellow.
Unsulphured, sun-dried (gün kurusu or natürel): dried without sulphuring, light or dark brown.
Whole and halves: DDP-15 recognises whole unpitted, whole pitted, halves and slabs (flattened, irregular fruit).
Diced and paste: not DDP-15 styles, and the standard excludes processed apricots. State piece size, moisture and any coating; for paste, the apricot content and added ingredients. Paste may fall under chapter 20 rather than 0813.

Grading under UNECE DDP-15

The current text dates from 2016 and sets three classes: Extra, Class I and Class II.

Moisture: at most 25.0 % untreated. Fruit treated with preservatives or otherwise preserved may reach 40.0 %, and above 32.0 % should be labelled "high moisture". EU law allows sorbic acid and potassium sorbate (E 200–202) in dried fruit up to 1,000 mg/kg.
Sizing: mandatory for Extra and Class I, by count per kilogram or diameter. For whole pitted fruit, code 0 is fewer than 80 per kg and code 8 is 221 or more.

Tolerance, % (1 kg sample)	Extra	Class I	Class II
Not meeting minimum requirements, total	9	15	20
Mouldy	1	1	1
Pest damage	1	2	4
Living pests	0	0	0
Foreign matter (by weight)	0.5	0.5	0.5
Pits in pitted fruit	1	1	2

Sulphur dioxide and labelling

Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II, category 04.2.1, allows sulphur dioxide and sulphites (E 220–228) in dried apricots up to 2,000 mg/kg, expressed as SO2 from all sources.

Under Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, sulphites above 10 mg/kg as total SO2 are a listed allergen and must be emphasised in the ingredients list; the version in force in Great Britain says the same. In the US, 21 CFR 101.100(a)(4) says a sulfiting agent at 10 ppm or more cannot be treated as an insignificant incidental additive, so it must be declared.

State a target SO2 range and test method. For unsulphured fruit sold without a sulphite declaration, ask for results of 10 mg/kg or less. For Gulf markets, check local additive rules.

Harvest and drying season

The PDO specification puts harvest from early July to mid-August, later at altitude. Sulphured fruit dries in the sun for 3–4 days to 40–50 % moisture, is pitted, then dries 2–3 more days to 20–25 %.

EU import controls

Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1793 sets increased checks at EU entry. Its annexes were last replaced by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1206 from 30 June 2026; we found no later amendment on 27 October 2026. Dried apricots from Türkiye are in neither annex, although the 2019 original listed them in Annex I for sulphites. Unprocessed apricot kernels from Türkiye sold to consumers are in Annex II for cyanide, with 50 % checks.

Our monthly count of EU food-safety alerts lists every RASFF notification on Turkish dried apricots in the last 12 months.

HS code and proof of origin

Dried apricots are CN 0813 10 00 (HS 0813.10). Chapters 8 and 20 are listed in Annex I to the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU, so dried apricots trade outside the EU–Türkiye customs union, under Decision No 1/98. Origin is proved with a EUR.1 or the exporter's origin declaration, not an A.TR. See our export documents guide for other markets.

Packaging and storage

DDP-15 requires protective, clean packing, with one origin, class, style and size in each package. Marking covers packer, style, origin, class and size; crop year and "naturally dried" are optional.

The PDO specification says storage life rises with the sulphur dose: at 2,000 ppm, about one year in an ordinary store and 2–2.5 years in a cold store. For your own brand, see our private label guide.

Questions buyers ask

Is every dried apricot from Malatya a "Malatya Kayısısı"?

No. In the EU the name covers only Hacıhaliloğlu apricots grown, sulphured and dried in the registered area, yellow and at most 25 % moisture. The Turkish registration names six varieties. If you want the name on your label, ask the producer to show compliance.

What is the difference between golden and brown dried apricots?

Golden apricots are treated with sulphur dioxide before drying and are yellow. Brown ones, sold as sun-dried or natural, are dried without sulphuring. Both can be graded under UNECE DDP-15. EU and UK labels must declare sulphites above 10 mg/kg; in the US, sulfites at 10 ppm or more must be declared.

How much sulphur dioxide can dried apricots contain in the EU?

Up to 2,000 mg/kg, expressed as SO2 from all sources, under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008. The same limit applies to dried peaches, grapes, prunes and figs. Above 10 mg/kg, sulphites must be emphasised as an allergen. Put a target range and test method in your specification.

Are dried apricots from Türkiye under extra EU border checks?

Not at present. The annexes of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1793 that apply from 30 June 2026 do not list them, though unprocessed apricot kernels are listed for cyanide. The Commission reviews the lists at least every six months, so check before each contract.

When is the new crop harvested?

The Malatya PDO specification puts harvest from early July to mid-August, later at higher altitude. Fruit is then sulphured, if required, and sun-dried in two stages over 5–7 days. Name the crop year in your contract, and agree what happens if the producer cannot fill your grade from it.

What to put in your brief

Item	What to state
Form	Sulphured or unsulphured; whole, pitted, halves, slabs, diced or paste
Origin and name	Variety, area, and whether you need the Malatya Kayısısı PDO
Class and size	Extra, Class I or Class II under DDP-15; size code or diameter
Moisture	Maximum percentage; any preservative for soft fruit
Defects	Limits for mould, pest damage, pits and foreign matter
Sulphur dioxide	Target range, test method, or 10 mg/kg maximum if unsulphured
Crop year	New crop or a stated earlier crop
Documents	EUR.1 or origin declaration, plus any certificates your market needs
Packing	Pack type, net weight, best-before date and storage

For the wider steps, see our guide to sourcing food from Türkiye.

Sending a brief to Lotvela

Lotvela is a sourcing intermediary in Gaziantep. Send a brief with the specification above. We approach producers that may fit, check product fit, a free production window, export record and documents, and send you a dated shortlist with every claim marked confirmed or not confirmed. It is free for buyers: the producer pays a commission at the same rate for every producer, invoices and ships the goods, and money never passes through Lotvela.