THE GLOBAL WINDOW OF TURKISH FOOD AND AGRICULTURE The Global Window of Turkish Food and Agriculture Sector
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Press release…
September, 2026…
A protocol signed between Türkiye and the People’s Republic of China has paved the way for the export of bay leaves to China—a product for which Türkiye is a global export leader.
The agreement between Türkiye and the People’s Republic of China regarding bay leaf exports was welcomed with enthusiasm by bay leaf exporters.
Ali Fuat Gürle, Chair of the Aegean Furniture, Paper and Forest Products Exporters’ Association (EMKOÜİB), noted that while bay leaf exports from Türkiye to China had peaked at 15 million dollars in 2022—with China being the leading destination by a wide margin—exports had subsequently come to a halt.
Reporting that bay leaf exports generated 61 million dollara in foreign currency revenue in 2024 and 51 million dollars in 2025, Gürle said, “Bay leaf export is a high-value-added trade. We believe that with the resumption of exports to China, we will return to the 61 million dollars level seen in 2024 and even reach 75 million dollars in the medium term.”
Pointing out that the Aegean Region alone accounts for 64 percent of the country’s bay leaf exports, EMKOÜİB Chair Ali Fuat Gürle expressed the sector’s gratitude to the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, İbrahim Yumaklı, for his efforts in realizing the agreement that enables the resumption of bay leaf exports from Türkiye to China.
While Türkiye exported 35.5 million dollars worth of bay leaves to 78 countries during the January–August period of 2026, Taiwan topped the list of export destinations with 6.8 million dollars. The United States demanded 3.4 million dollars worth of bay leaves, while Poland secured third place with 3.2 million dollars…
