Middle East peach and nectarine market forecasted to grow
Driven by growing demand, the peaches and nectarines market is expected to maintain an upward consumption trend over the next decade in the Middle East, a report by IndexBox stated. Performance is forecasted to accelerate, with an anticipated compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 1.6% from 2024 to 2035.
This growth is projected to increase market volume to 2.1 million tons by the end of 2035. In terms of value, the market is expected to rise at a CAGR of 2.3% during the same period, reaching an estimated value of $2.4 billion (in nominal wholesale prices) by the end of 2035.
Consumption trends
In 2024, the consumption of peaches and nectarines in the Middle East declined by 2.6%, totaling 1.7 million tons after two years of growth. Despite this decrease, consumption patterns have generally remained stable over the reviewed period.
A peak was recorded in 2023 with consumption hitting 1.8 million tons, which then fell slightly in 2024. The market value for peaches and nectarines declined to $1.9 billion in 2024, reflecting a 2.6% drop from the previous year. This figure represents the total revenues of producers and importers, excluding logistics and retail costs.
Consumption by country
In 2024, the countries with the highest consumption volumes were Turkey (781,000 tons), Iran (593,000 tons), and Saudi Arabia (73,000 tons), collectively accounting for 83% of total consumption.
Israel, Jordan, Iraq, the Syrian Arab Republic, and Lebanon accounted for an additional 15%. Between 2013 and 2024, Jordan experienced the most significant growth, with a CAGR of 18.5%, while other leading countries saw more modest growth rates. In value terms, Iran ($748 million), Turkey ($667 million), and Saudi Arabia ($104 million) represented the highest market values, together making up 80% of the total market.
Production
After two years of growth, peach and nectarine production in the Middle East decreased by 2.5%, totaling 1.9 million tons in 2024. Over the period from 2013 to 2024, the average annual production growth rate was 1.2%, showing relatively stable trends with minor fluctuations. The most notable growth occurred in 2017 when production increased by 14%.
The production peak reached 2 million tons in 2023, followed by a slight decline the next year. The overall growth can be attributed to gradual increases in both harvested area and yield. In value terms, production fell slightly to $2.1 billion in 2024 (estimated in export price), having previously peaked at $2.2 billion in 2023.
In 2024, Turkey (1 million tons), Iran (596,000 tons), and Jordan (103,000 tons) were the top producers, accounting for 89% of total production. Israel, Lebanon, the Syrian Arab Republic, and Saudi Arabia collectively contributed an additional 9.6%. From 2013 to 2024, Saudi Arabia recorded the most significant increase in production at a CAGR of 8.7%.
Yield and harvested area
The average yield for peaches and nectarines dropped to 18 tons per hectare (2.47 acres) in 2024, maintaining similar figures to 2023. From 2013 to 2024, the yield increased at an average annual rate of 2.4%, despite some fluctuations. The highest yield was recorded at 18 tons per hectare in 2023 before a slight decrease in the following year.
In 2024, the total area harvested for peaches and nectarines in the Middle East declined to 266,873 acres, stabilizing at the previous year's level. A general decline in harvested area has been observed, with the most significant increase occurring in 2014 (up by 12%).
Trade
In 2024, after three years of decline, imports of peaches and nectarines surged by 46% to 124,000 tons. However, overall imports have shown a relatively flat trend. In value terms, peach and nectarine imports reached $111 million in 2024. Historically, the highest import value was recorded in 2021 at $165 million.
The primary importers in 2024 were Iraq (51,000 tons) and Saudi Arabia (42,000 tons), together constituting 74% of total imports. The United Arab Emirates (13,000 tons) followed, along with the Syrian Arab Republic (7,900 tons).
