Last year, within the scope of aquaculture support, ₺119.3 million was paid to the breeders.
Various studies are carried out by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in order to increase the consumption of fisheries, which is one of the cornerstones of healthy nutrition, in society.
The fish grown in Turkish waters are exported to more than 100 countries, notably the European Union (EU), as well as Japan, the USA, Russia and South Korea.
Thanks to these developments in the aquaculture sector, Turkiye ranks first among EU countries in fish farming. In addition, Turkiye ranks first in the world in sea bream and sea bass production and second in rainbow trout production.
Within the framework of the studies carried out by the Ministry, new regulations are made by the General Directorate of Fisheries and Aquaculture, taking into account the current situation of the sector, and aquaculture supports are implemented.
With the implementation of the right policies and the implementation of the Ministry’s support, the aquaculture production, which was 61 thousand tons in 2002, reached approximately 514 thousand tons in 2022.
Within the scope of the supports, the export of fisheries, which was 27 thousand tons in 2002, increased to 251 thousand tons in 2022, and its value increased from $97 million to $1.7 billion in the said period.
Turkish salmon became a world brand
According to the information received from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, within the scope of 2022 aquaculture supports, a support payment of ₺119.3 million was made to 814 aquaculture facilities belonging to 611 producers. Thus, a total of ₺1.64 billion have been transferred to the aquaculture sector so far.
In addition, the aquaculture sector has provided the country with over 40,000 direct jobs.
With the Turkish Salmon Project, which started in 2017, the “Turkish salmon” brand, which is accepted all over the world, was created by directing the producers to salmon fish farming.
Turkish salmon production, which was approximately 5 thousand tons in the said year, reached a production volume of 31 thousand 500 tons in 2021 and 45 thousand tons in 2022 with the projects and support models implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
Salmon exports, which were $56.8 million in 2020, increased to $130.9 million in 2021 and $312.3 million in 2022.
Source: Trthaber / Prepared by Irem Yildiz