Russia’s fruit imports from Turkey surge as blackberry purchases hit June record

Blackberry imports reach a record

Russia sharply increased its purchases of fruit from Turkey in June 2026, with the value of blackberry imports reaching the highest level in the available statistical record. Turkish exporters supplied $138,600 worth of blackberries during the month, according to figures reported by Rambler Finance. The publication said no higher monthly value had been recorded since at least 2013, when the official series began.

The blackberry figure is small compared with Russia’s spending on larger fruit categories, but the record indicates stronger demand for a relatively specialized and perishable product. For Turkish growers and exporters, the increase gives access to an additional market for premium berries during the early summer season. Russian importers, meanwhile, must manage short delivery windows, cold-chain requirements and the commercial risks associated with a product that loses quality quickly.

Peach and nectarine purchases nearly double

Peaches and nectarines accounted for by far the largest value among the Turkish fruit categories covered by the report. Their combined shipments to Russia reached $68.2 million in June, almost twice the value recorded in the same month a year earlier. The scale of the increase suggests that the expansion was not limited to niche berry purchases but extended to high-volume seasonal fruit.

Russian purchases of Turkish plums also increased, although at a much slower absolute rate. Their value rose by about $100,000 to $2.5 million in June. Together, the figures show broader growth across several stone-fruit and berry categories at the start of summer. Turkey’s geographic proximity to the Russian market can support deliveries of time-sensitive produce, while the concentration of purchases in June highlights the importance of harvest timing and seasonal availability.

Turkey expands its position in Russia’s lemon market

The increase was not confined to June or to summer fruit. In January-June 2026, the value of Turkish lemon shipments to Russia rose 60% and reached almost $49 million. As a result, Turkey accounted for 23% of Russia’s lemon imports, according to Rambler Finance. The share establishes Turkey as a significant supplier in a category that Russian buyers source throughout much of the year.

The reported values measure trade in monetary terms and do not provide shipment volumes, average prices or comparisons with other supplying countries. It is therefore not possible to determine from the figures alone how much of the growth resulted from larger physical deliveries and how much reflected changes in prices or the mix of fruit grades. Even so, simultaneous increases in blackberries, peaches, nectarines, plums and lemons point to a broader strengthening of Turkey’s role in Russian fruit procurement. For producers, packers and logistics companies, the trend raises the commercial importance of maintaining quality and transport reliability. For Russian wholesalers and retailers, greater purchasing from Turkey increases access to seasonal produce but can also deepen exposure to conditions affecting one major origin, including harvest performance, logistics and supplier pricing.