In the January-March period, $294 million 754 thousand of olives and olive oil were exported from Turkiye.
According to the compilation made by the AA correspondent from the data of the Turkish Exporters Assembly, the representatives of the Turkish olive and olive oil sector increased their export sales by 156.7% in the first quarter of the year compared to the same period of the previous year.
Sector representatives increased their olive and olive oil exports, which were $114 million 836 thousand in the first three months of last year, to $294 million 754 thousand in the same period of this year.
Turkish olives and olive oil graced the tables in approximately 90 countries during this period.
Most exports were made to Spain
The country with the highest increase in exports in January-March was Spain, the export leader in olive oil.
In the same period of the previous year, the sector representatives realized $6 million 833 thousand of exports to Spain, and this year, they achieved $104 million 114 thousand in foreign sales with an increase of 15 times in 3 months. 35% of Turkiye’s olive and olive oil exports were made to Spain.
The second-ranked USA, on the other hand, increased by 156.2% from $31 million 467 thousand to $80 million 629 thousand.
In the first quarter of the year, Germany ranked third with an increase of 1.1% and $12 million 651 thousand, Italy ranked fourth with an increase of 1505% and $12 million 286 thousand, Romania ranked fifth with a decrease of 3.6% and $8 million 842 thousand.
“Turkiye became the second in the world in olive and olive oil”
National Olive and Olive Oil Council (UZZK) Chairman of the Board Dr. Mustafa Tan told Anadolu Agency (AA) that the remaining olive and olive oil season has been a very important year for Turkish olive cultivation.
Stating that they reached the production target they set with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Tan said, “Turkiye broke the record by producing 421 thousand tons of olive oil and 735 thousand tons of table olives. We became the world’s second in olive oil, and this figure brought us the world’s first place in table olives. This was our goal. This year is indeed a lucky year. Because olives are very low in the world. This also has an effect on our being second in the world.”
Noting that Spain, which produced 1 million 400 thousand tons of olive oil in previous years, estimated 800 thousand tons at the beginning of the season, Tan said, “Spain’s yield is less than 100%, around 650 thousand tons. While Italy produced 600 thousand tons, it remained at 200-250 thousand tons. Since Greece is our neighbor, its climate is similar to ours. It is low compared to itself but slightly better than normal, around 300 thousand tons. Tunisia has 200 thousand.”
Mustafa Tan emphasized that they will update the olive oil production, which they announced as 421 thousand tons, to 450 thousand tons, since some of the table olives are considered as more oily.
Informing that olives are produced in 41 provinces in Turkiye and that the yield and production amount increase every year with the planting of new saplings, Tan said:
“The product is very low in Spain and Italy, and these are the main exporting countries. So far, Spain’s exports are 735 thousand tons. It exports more of its production. In other words, it bought 115 thousand tons of oil for itself. It has imported so far. Italy consumes 600 thousand tons of oil only in domestic consumption and its production is around 200-250 thousand tons. It has so many exports. There is a great need for oil to meet the demand in the world markets. It has also turned into an opportunity for our country, and so far our exports are going quite well. In the same way, exports and domestic consumption increase according to production in table olives.”
Source: AA / Prepared by Irem Yildiz