Turkey is the world’s largest cherry producer, accounting for 25.9% of plantations. In terms of exports, Turkey is the fourth largest after Chile, Hong Kong and USA. The most famous Turkish cherry cultivar is the ‘Ziraat 0900’. Turkish cherries have a high sugar content with BRIX values ranging from 12 in early maturing varieties to 20 just before harvest time. Several varieties are planted in Turkey and production is concentrated in the provinces of Izmir, Konya, Manisa and Isparta. The Aegean region has the largest plantations in terms of surface area followed by Central Anatolia and the Marmara region. Cherries are ready to harvest after reaching maturation which can be determined by colour, taste, aroma and size depending on variety. Yield can increase by 35-40% compared to early harvesting. In Turkey, cherries are harvested in May, June and July depending on variety and altitude. Cherries reach maturation considerably earlier than Europe though there are some cultivars which are harvested as late as August.