Turkish raisin exporters seem to have turned the trade dispute between the United States and China, which have placed tariffs on billions of dollars of each other's goods, into an opportunity.
They are enjoying increasing demand and have managed to rev up their exports to China after Beijing imposed additional tariffs on fruits and vegetables from the U.S.
Turkey's overall raisin exports from Sept. 1 to Nov. 16 amounted to nearly $162.71 million, up 9% compared to the same period of last year, according to Aegean Exporters' Association (EİB) data.
Exports to China in the said period increased by 14% year-on-year to $1.6 million, up from $1.4 million. Turkish exporters also achieved favorable results at the import fair held in China earlier in November, and expect a further rise in exports to the country.

A recent spell of hailstorm and rains in some parts of Maharashtra over the last three days has hit raisin producers hard. Farmers in Sangli, one of the biggest raisin production centres in the state, are unhappy with the rains that have come at an inopportune time, when the raisins were in the process of being dried.
“This will definitely affect the overall quality of the raisins, which lose color due to the rains and as a result, the price gets affected as well,” Subhash Arve, president, Maharashtra State Grape Growers Association (MGGA), who looks after the Sangli region, said. Prices of raisins which were around Rs 200-250 per kg, have dropped almost 50% as the raisins are turning black, he said. Farmers are now getting just about Rs 70-80 per kg for their produce. Warehouses where the raisins were being dried have been damaged causing water to seep in, which reduces the sugar content of the product. Around 40,000 tonne of raisins were expected this season, but the impact will now have to be seen in the next few days, he said.

​By Nathan Coates

​Picking is underway at a commercial bush raisin farm 100km south-east of Alice Springs.
Farmer Max Emery said recent storms had kicked things along, but the season had been slow to start.
"We're having a strange run this year. We've had a very late flowering," Mr Emery said.
"We are now starting to pick and we are getting about half a bucket per day, whereas normally we would have been picking three buckets a day by now."

10:56, 4 NOV 2015 UPDATED 12:07, 4 NOV 2015
BY RUKI SAYID , GAVIN ALLEN

First they came for the Creme Eggs, and I said nothing because I did not eat Creme Eggs.
Then they came for the Fruit and Nut...