Turkey’s pickle exports reached $277 million in 2020 with an increase of 23%, reaching the highest level in history. The Turkish pickle industry continued its export growth rate in the January-May period of 2021, increasing by 24% from $88 million to $109 million.
As it strengthens the immune system in the body, an export of $350 million is aimed at the end of 2021 in the pickle export, whose star shines even more during the pandemic period.
Aegean Region takes the lion’s share of Turkey’s pickle exports with a slice of 81%. Informing that Turkish pickles are in high demand from 106 countries in 2021, Aegean Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters’ Association President Hayrettin Ucak, said that Turkey’s rich plant diversity offers great opportunities to the pickle industry, that Turkish exporters have the most advanced pickle production facilities in the world, and that the pandemic has increased the demand for pickles, and that there has been an intense production and export period in the sector.
Pointing out that Turkey has produced 55 million tons of fresh fruit and vegetables in 2020 despite the pandemic, President Ucak said, “The Aegean Region is by far the leader in Turkey’s pickle production and export thanks to the diversity and richness in the product pattern. We realized 79% of Turkey’s $277 million pickle export in 2020 from the Aegean Region. In 2021, we contributed $88.5 million to Turkey’s exports of $109 million. Aegean Region’s share in pickle exports reached 81%. We aim to export $300 million of pickles from the Aegean Region for 2021.”
Underlining that fresh fruits and vegetables, which cannot be converted into added value due to excess production in the season, are transformed into added value by Turkish fruit and vegetable products industrialists through methods such as pickles, canned tomatoes, tomato paste, ice cream, and roasting. He added that as the fruit and vegetable products industry meets the needs of the domestic market with the products processed, it has brought Turkey $1.7 billion of foreign currency with its exports in 2020.
PEPPER PICKLE LEADING IN PICKLE EXPORT
While the first place in Turkey’s pickle export was pepper pickles with an amount of $51.5 million, pickled gherkins took the second place with a foreign exchange income of $45 million. The export of pickles made from other vegetables also exceeded $12 million. The Turkish pickle industry pickles more than 30 vegetables and fruits, mainly gherkins, peppers, cabbage, cauliflower, tomatoes, almonds, mushrooms, beets, onions, garlic and tropical fruits.
GERMANY DEMANDED TURKISH PICKLE MOST
In the January–May period of 2021, Germany, where more than 3 million Turks live, ranked first in Turkey’s pickle export with a demand of $29.5 million. While $15.6 million of pickles were exported to the Netherlands, $12.4 million of pickles were sent to the United States.
Source: Sabah / Translated by Irem Yildiz