THE GLOBAL WINDOW OF TURKISH FOOD AND AGRICULTURE The Global Window of Turkish Food and Agriculture Sector
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Press release…
The Turkish fresh fruit and vegetable sector has achieved a remarkable success story over the past 22 years by channelling its production capacity into exports. The sector’s exports rose by 175 percent, from 1 million 337 thousand tonnes to 3 million 669 thousand tonnes.
According to a compilation of TÜİK data by the R&D unit of the Aegean Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters’ Association, the production and exports of potatoes, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, watermelons, apples, peaches, nectarines, apricots, cherries, oranges, mandarins, lemons, figs, kiwis, bananas, grapes, strawberries and pomegranates were examined in detail.
Production of these 20 products, which form the backbone of Türkiye’s fresh fruit and vegetable production, stood at 34 million 292 thousand tonnes in 2002 and reached 51 million 560 thousand tonnes in 2024, representing a 50 per cent spike.
In 2025, a 14 percent decline in the production of these products was experienced due to the climate crisis, and production fell to 44 million 350 thousand tonnes.
Whilst the Turkish fresh fruit and vegetable sector recorded an export volume of 1 million 337 thousand tonnes in 2002, by the end of 2024 this had risen to 3 million 669 thousand tonnes, marking a record spike of 175 percent.
Whilst 3.8 per cent of production was exported in 2002, this figure rose to 7.1 percent in 2024
The fresh fruit and vegetable sector, which was able to export 3.8 per cent of its production in 2002, succeeded in exporting 7.1 percent of total production in 2024.
Balık: “Exports have grown faster than production”
Cengiz Balık, Chair of the Aegean Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters’ Association, noted that the sector had undergone a significant transformation over the past 22 years, moving from production to exports and said that Türkiye had succeeded in bringing its strength in fresh fruit and vegetable production to international markets more effectively…
