According to data compiled from the Eastern Black Sea Exporters Association (DKİB) by an AA correspondent, Turkish salmon exports for January-March 2023 amounted to $44,993,815. In the same period this year, exports increased by 126% to reach $101,734,181.
The export of Turkish salmon, whose production increases year by year, was 5,626 tons in the first quarter of 2023, while it increased by 232% to 18,694 tons in the same period this year.
Turkish salmon was sold to 34 countries from Turkey in the January-March period. The Russian Federation ranked first with $59,422,570, followed by Vietnam with $10,851,750, and Germany with $8,412,847.
Unlike the same period last year, Turkish salmon was also exported to Greece, Indonesia, Ukraine, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Egypt, Northern Cyprus, Kazakhstan, Austria, Portugal, and Belgium during this period.
“66% of our exports were made to the Russian Federation in terms of quantity” Saffet Kalyoncu, Chairman of the DKİB Board of Directors, said that Turkish salmon has taken its place among the important export products in the aquaculture sector.
Emphasizing that the export of the sector has been increasing significantly year by year, Kalyoncu said, “Turkish salmon showed a high rate of export increase in the first quarter of 2024 and continued to increase in market diversity every year.”
Kalyoncu pointed out that the largest demand for Turkish salmon exported from the country came from the Russian Federation, stating, “66% of our total exports were made to the Russian Federation in terms of quantity. The second largest demand for Turkish salmon exported to Vietnam and then processed and sent to Japan came from Japan. Those exported to Germany consisted entirely of highly processed, smoked, and marinated products.”
“We will contribute significantly to increasing country diversity and exports” Emphasizing their efforts to increase country diversity in Turkish salmon exports, Kalyoncu said, “In recent years, there has been significant demand for Turkish salmon from the United States as well. In the coming period, we will give more priority to promotional activities in the US market.”
Kalyoncu stated that they attach great importance to overseas promotion activities for increasing the brand awareness of Turkish salmon and ensuring market diversity, saying, “Within this scope, we will promote Turkish salmon at the seafood fair, which is one of the largest seafood fairs and will be held in Barcelona, Spain, on April 23-25. Additionally, the Turquality Promotion Project we have developed for promoting Turkish salmon has also been approved by the Ministry of Commerce. Within this scope, with the promotional activities we will carry out in target markets over the next 4 years, we will contribute significantly to increasing country diversity and exports in Turkish salmon exports.”
Kalyoncu stressed the need to increase salmon farming, saying, “If the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry provides support for farming in a period of 3-4 years, we believe that Turkish salmon exports will easily exceed the $1 billion threshold.”
source: aa.com.tr/ prepared by Melisa Beğiç