Raisins from Turpan follow two routes: traditional shade drying in ventilated drying houses, where hot dry air does the work, and open sun drying on the ground or on racks. Shade drying is slower and needs more space but holds colour well — green varieties come out translucent yellow-green. Sun drying is faster, gives a darker brown tone and a stronger flavour.
Moisture is the other dividing line. Shade-dried goods usually sit around 15% and stay soft; sun-dried lots can go lower, though over-drying hardens the flesh. Buyers using raisins as a bakery ingredient or in nut mixes tend to care about berry integrity and stable moisture, while retail packers care more about colour consistency.
One caveat: colour is not a quality grade. Dark raisins are dark because of the process, not because the raw material was poor. Conversely, unusually bright and uniform lots deserve a question about whether they have been treated. We quote by process and specification, and samples are available before ordering so you can confirm colour.
Keep the goods out of light and away from heat in transit. Container temperatures can exceed 50°C in summer and raisins may cake together, so a reefer or insulated lining is the safer choice.
