Turkey’s 2020 orange exports increased by 41% compared to the previous year and reached $129 million.
According to the data compiled by the AA correspondent from the Aegean Exporters Union, Turkey’s orange exports in 2019 were recorded as $91 million 492 thousand. Despite the decrease in orange harvest last season, exports increased on a value basis due to the demand created during the Covid-19 outbreak.
Last year, oranges were exported to about 60 countries, and the figure increased by 41% compared to 2019, reaching $129 million. Russia, the traditional market for fresh fruit and vegetables in orange exports, ranked first with $63 million 482 thousand. This country was followed by Iraq with $19 million 111 thousand and Ukraine with $15 million 314 thousand.
Hayrettin Ucak, chairman of the Aegean Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters Association, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that there are reports of “100% analysis required” in orange exports, but that there is no such situation.
Stressing that they do not have any problems in analysis, Ucak said, “The European Union has put a rate of around 10%, which is very reasonable, a situation that should be.”
He pointed out that the demand for agricultural products increased due to the epidemic, and noted that this increase trend continued in the first month of the year.
Explaining that they observed a serious increase in oranges last year, Ucak said, “Last season, the orange harvest had lowered our morale, but the figures on the basis of value relieved the producers. Last year, we have an export increase of around 41% in orange. Demand caused by the epidemic has a big impact on this. We exported a total of $933 million in citrus exports, of which 347 million are tangerines.”
Ucak stated that if there is no change in climate conditions this year, they aim to increase this to over $950 million and continued as follows:
“Citrus products mainly go to Russia. We need to find new markets and get rid of the dependency on the single market. There are no fairs due to the epidemic. We will create country-based alternative markets, especially by contacting them directly with the opening of the fairs.”
Ucak added that domestic demand for oranges is also very high this year.
Source: AA / Translated by Irem Yildiz