Turkiye’s aquaculture exports have increased 75 percent in the past 5 years to $1.4 billion, already exceeding the target of $1 billion previously set for 2023.
Last year, the industry’s exports grew by 19 percent to 239,000 tons in volume, while revenues increased by 30 percent to $1.37 billion.
Turkiye sold its aquaculture products to a total of 106 countries in 2022 with the European Union absorbing 55 percent of the industry’s exports.
Despite the challenges from the ongoing Russian-Ukraine war, the industry’s sales to foreign markets are expected to climb to $1.5 billion this year and rise further to around $2 billion next year.
Turkish salmon production rocketed 122 percent in 2021 to reach 40,000 tons.
“The fisheries sector is growing fast. Turkiye has become one of the largest producers in Europe and exports have been on the rise,” said Altuğ Atalay, head of the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry’s Directorate General of Fisheries and Aquaculture.
Atalay recalled that the sector’s exports stood at around $750 million five years ago and the industry diversified its market during this period,noting that the export markets include Japan, South Korea and the U.S.
“Turkiye’s main export items are seabass and bream fish, but soon salmon produced in the Black Sea region will overtake them as the best-selling export product,” he said.
The new fishing season will start in September in the Marmara, Black Sea and Aegean Sea and the catch is expected to be good this year, Atalay said.