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Aegean Exporters’ target is to export $1.2 billion of fruit and vegetables

Aegean Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters’ Association Chairman Hayrettin Ucak said, “If we succeed in increasing our exports a little more, we will reach our target of $1 billion 200 million at the end of the year.”

At the press conference held in Seferihisar district, Ucak stated that there has been an increase in the export of fresh fruits and vegetables due to the effect of the epidemic. Reminding that Turkey’s exports of fruits, vegetables and products reached $3.5 billion in the first 9 months of this year, Ucak emphasized that there was a 20% increase compared to the same period of the previous year. Providing information about the 9-month exports of the Aegean Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters’ Association, Ucak said: “Our exports increased to $813 million in the 9-month period and we achieved an increase of 14% compared to the same period of the previous year. If this increase rate continues until the end of the year, we will close our exports above $1 billion 100 million. If we manage to increase our exports a little more, we will reach our target of $1 billion 200 million at the end of the year. Either way, I can say that a new export record will come for our association at the end of the year.”

THE BEST VALUES WERE IN STRAWBERRY AND TOMATOES

Pointing out that the way to sustain success in the export of food products is through the sustainability of consumer trust, Ucak reminded that they implemented the “We Know the Pesticides We Use” project in order to reveal the residue map of the region. Noting that they have identified 9 important products for the fresh fruit, vegetable and product sector, Ucak said, “The products whose analysis has been completed so far are strawberries, cherries, vine leaves, peaches, gherkins, tomatoes and grapes. In these analyzes, in general, results were obtained in accordance with the values determined by both the European Union and Russia. The most suitable values were for strawberries and tomatoes. Expressing that they attach great importance to the losses in fruit and vegetables and they act in order to reduce it to zero, Ucak continued: “It is said that there are losses between 15 and 50% in fruit and vegetables from harvest to consumption, but it is very difficult to find a study showing how much loss at which stage. For this, we first developed a project with Ege University on the determination of losses in pomegranate and tangerine products. In the first year of the project, we will examine every process from harvest to packaging and reveal the loss rates in these products, and in the second year, we will conduct training studies on ‘how can we reduce these rates’.” Aegean Exporters’ Unions Secretary General Cumhur Isbirakmaz also gave information about the 9-month export figures.

Source: Sabah / Translated by Irem Yildiz

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