According to the data of Eastern Black Sea Exporters Association (DKIB), 3 thousand 109 tons of tea exported from Turkey in January-September period and the exports were valued at $12 million 182 thousand 162. 65 percent of the country-wide tea exports in quantity and 53 percent in value were carried out by Rize-based companies. In this period, $6 million 428 thousand 49 were earned from Rize in return for the exports of 2 thousand 23 tons of tea to 29 countries.
$6 million 144 thousand 953 of export revenue was obtained from the 2 thousand 167 tons of Rize tea in the same period of 2019. Accordingly, tea exports from Rize in the 9-month period decreased by 7 percent in quantity and increased by 5 percent in value compared to the same period of the previous year.
Most Turkish tea was exported to Belgium
Belgium, the USA and Saudi Arabia were the top countries that most tea exported. $3 million 733 thousand 236 of tea was exported to Belgium, $558 thousand 488 to the USA and $335 thousand 292 to Saudi Arabia from Rize in the Jan-Sept period.
Unlike the 9-month period of 2019, tea was also exported to Switzerland, Qatar, Bulgaria, Jordan, Japan, Panama, Malta, the Republic of North Macedonia, Tajikistan and Taiwan countries this year.
“New products from the tea plant need to be developed.”
Ahmet Hamdi Gurdogan, the deputy board chairman of DKIB stated that Rize covered the 53 percent of the total Turkish tea exports. Expressing that tea is one of the most important agricultural products of the region, Gurdogan said:
‘’Turkish tea has now become a product that is consumed with admiration in the European, Middle East, the USA and Far East markets and therefore, to increase our brand value we need to focus more on the export of value-added products and the variety of products. “
Drawing attention to the importance of herbal mixtures, which have come to the fore with the pandemic effect in recent years, Gurdogan said:
“The export opportunity is very high in tea plants, which is an important value for our region and which are at the forefront all over the world, to disinfectant and supplementary food products, especially cosmetics. New exportable tea products should be developed. “
source: AA / translated by Melisa Karayusufoglu