Tomato exports from Turkey in the January-September period of this year increased by 17% compared to the same period of the previous year and reached $264 million 771 thousand.
According to the information compiled from the data of the Southeastern Anatolian Exporters’ Associations, Turkey earned $313 million 405 thousand from its tomato exports to 51 countries last year. Turkey, which exported $226 million 87 thousand worth of tomatoes in the January-September period of last year, sold $264 million 771 thousand of products to 53 countries in the same period of this year.
Russia is one of the countries with the highest tomato exports. Turkey sold $47 million 652 thousand worth of tomatoes to Russia in the 9 months of this year. Russia was followed by Romania with $46 million 69 thousand and Ukraine with $31 million 101 thousand.
The city where the most tomato exports were made was Antalya with $100 million 383 thousand. This city was followed by Hatay with $49 million 630 thousand and Mersin with $19 million 481 thousand.
“WE DIVERSIVED OUR EXPORTS IN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES”
Muslum Yanmaz, President of the Greenhouse Investors and Producers Association, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that the continuous increase in tomato exports in 2021 makes the producers happy. Reminding that the figure of increase in the first six months of the year was 12%, Yanmaz pointed out that the increase of this figure to 17% is also important for the economy of the country.
Yanmaz stated that they expect the figures to rise even higher by the end of the year and said:
“Our tomato exports have been going well since the beginning of this year, I believe that we will exceed $300 million in total tomato exports by the end of the year. After the tomato embargo applied after the plane crisis with Russia, we diversified our exports to more European countries. At the same time, we started to export more to the Middle East. A new trade network was formed with our exports to Romania and Ukraine, which is reflected in the export figures. Cluster tomatoes, which we grow as the main product, take the largest share in our exports. Consumers, who are accustomed to the quality and taste of these tomatoes, which are produced with good agricultural practices and natural environments with bee systems, increase the demand for these products. There is a great interest in cluster tomatoes both in the domestic market and in the foreign market.”
Pointing out that the demand for tomatoes also increased the prices, Yanmaz added that new investments should be accelerated in order to control the prices.
Source: Sabah / Translated by Irem Yildiz