THE GLOBAL WINDOW OF TURKISH FOOD AND AGRICULTURE The Global Window of Turkish Food and Agriculture Sector
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August 2026…
In Muğla, Türkiye’s leading province in aquaculture and export, sea bream and sea bass fry produced in modern hatcheries are shipped abroad using specially equipped vehicles, ships and cargo planes.
Muğla, which holds a leading position in Türkiye’s aquaculture with 167,000 tonnes of production and a 26 percent share, stands out as an important centre not only for table fish production and export but also for fish fry production.
The region’s 23 hatcheries have an annual production capacity of approximately 900 million fish fry.
Meeting approximately 75 percent of Türkiye’s fish fry needs, a portion of the fish produced in these hatcheries is exported to various countries, primarily Oman, Tunisia, Kuwait, Albania and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
Muğla Provincial Director of Agriculture and Forestry, Seyfettin Baydar, told an Anatolian Agency (AA) reporter that aquaculture in the seas of the province has rapidly developed following successful efforts undertaken in 1986.
Baydar stated that in the early years of the sector, fish fry used in aquaculture were collected from nature, but in the 2000s, under the leadership of the Ministry, marine fish hatcheries began to be established and with the increase in private sector investments, a significant capacity was reached in fish fry production.
Baydar noted that thanks to closed-circuit water systems, climate control, and photoperiod applications in modern hatcheries, fish fry can be produced 12 months a year.
Stating that Muğla province has become the most important centre for fish fry production in the country, Baydar continued:
“There are 23 marine fish hatcheries in our province with a total capacity of 900 million. These hatcheries, which meet 75 percent of the country’s needs, also export abroad. In 2025, a total of 33 million fish fry were exported to Oman, Tunisia, Kuwait, Albania and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.”
Pointing out that 1,320,000 sea bream fry were being prepared for shipment to Tunisia, Baydar added, “1,320,000 sea bream fry, averaging 4.5 grams in size, have been loaded onto the ship and are heading to Tunisia.”
