Turkey’s pickle exports in the January-April period increased by 14% compared to the same period last year, when the record was broken, reaching $88 million 533 thousand.
Demand for Turkish pickles, which reached the highest number in exports in the process of the new type of coronavirus (Covid-19), continues in 2021. According to the data compiled by the AA correspondent from the Aegean Exporters Union, Turkey’s pickle exports in 2020 increased by 23% compared to the previous year, from $225 million to $277 million. This figure was recorded as the highest export figure in the history of the Republic in pickles.
The representatives of the sector, who started fast this year, increased pickle exports by 14% in the January-April period, from $77 million 852 thousand to $88 million 533 thousand. Germany took the first place in pickle exports with $23 million 786 thousand. This country was followed by the Netherlands with $13 million 953 thousand and the USA with $9 million 845 thousand.
In terms of variety, pickled gherkins attracted the attention with $36 million 533 thousand of export. In the same period, $23 million of pickled peppers and $11 million of mixed pickles were exported.
TARGET IS $300 MILLION
Hayrettin Ucak, chairman of the Aegean Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters Association, stated to the AA correspondent that the demand for food products continues to increase with the effect of the epidemic. Referring to the significant increase in food exports to European countries during the epidemic process, Ucak stated that one of them was pickles.
Reminding that the upward trend in pickle exports that started in 2020 continues this year, Ucak said, “We want to close this year with a record. Our goal is to exceed $300 million. We believe that we will achieve this with market diversity and high value-added products. Stating that there is a similar interest in the domestic market, Ucak added that the Aegean has a share of approximately 70% in pickle production.
TURKISH PICKLE EXPORTED TO MALDIVES
Aydin Elciboga, Chairman of the Board of Cicek Pickles, which produces pickles in Kemalpasa district, emphasized that they export to more than 50 countries as a company. Underlining that they aim to make the record broken last year sustainable, Elciboga said:
“We want to add new ones next to the existing markets. For example, our product on the lines now goes to the Maldives. Turkish food products were included in discount markets in Europe before the epidemic. Our exporter, who turned the crisis into an opportunity with the epidemic, started to enter the markets of higher levels with Turkish food products. This is very important in terms of value-added exports. We invest in the brand for this to continue. We aim to exceed the standards they want.”
Source: Hurriyet / Translated by Irem Yildiz