Türkiye achieved $410.89 million in revenue from dried apricot exports in 2024. Speaking at a press conference, Malatya Commodity Exchange President Ramazan Ozcan reflected on the two years that have passed since the February 6, 2023 Kahramanmaras-centered earthquakes, which also severely impacted Malatya.
Ozcan noted that despite the challenges and difficulties brought by the earthquake, apricot exports have continued uninterrupted for 23 months. He also emphasized that the dried apricot export market has been affected by global developments.
Highlighting the resilience of the apricot industry amid the Russia-Ukraine war and developments in Syria, Ozcan shared that dried apricots delivered remarkable results for both Malatya and Türkiye in 2024.
“In December 2024, we exported 8,565 tons of dried apricots. Compared to the previous year, we exported approximately 1,500 tons more. In return, we earned $39.43 million. Looking at the last five months of the year, from August 1, which we consider the start of the season, we exported an average of 2,000 tons more per month compared to last year. Over this five-month period, we exported 10,000 tons more than the previous year.
In total, the 2024 export volume reached 76,926 tons, generating $410.89 million in revenue for the national, regional, and local economies. In comparison, in 2023, we exported 70,000 tons and earned around $400 million. There has been an increase in both volume and revenue,” he stated.
Ozcan also reminded that Malatya was heavily damaged by the earthquake, experiencing significant workforce losses, and that many businesses were forced to operate at reduced capacities.
Apricot Kernel Exports Also Show Strong Performance
Thanking producers, exporters, merchants, and traders, Ozcan drew attention to the positive performance of apricot kernel exports, stating:
“In December, we exported 597 tons of apricot kernels, generating $1.42 million in revenue. Overall, there has been a notable increase in both volume and revenue compared to previous years in kernel exports. This year, we exported 4,931 tons of apricot kernels, earning $14.31 million in revenue.”
Ozcan also added that the countries importing the most dried apricots from Türkiye were the United States, France, and Germany.
Source: TRT News/ Prepared by: İlayda Gök