Press release…
Er: Record production brought record exports
Davut Er, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Aegean Olive and Olive Oil Exporters’ Association (EZZİB), said that their table olive exports soared by 7% on a quantity basis compared to the previous season, rising from 172 million to 184 million dollars.
“In the 2022/23 olive oil export season, which ended on 31 October, we exported to 118 countries and our total olive oil exports rose by 158% in quantity from 58 thousand tonnes to 150 thousand tonnes and by 259% in value from 201 million to 723 million dollars,” he said.
Pointing out that in the 2022/23 export season, in which they became the world leader in table olive production and the second largest producer of olive oil after Spain, he explained, “Our total sector exports reached 947 million dollars and our sector gained a very important place in the world markets. We aim to enhance this figure to 1.5 billion dollars in the next few years and to 2 billion dollars in 2028. Record production brought record exports. As you all know, the biggest obstacle facing our sector at the moment is the export restrictions imposed on bulk and barreled olive oil exports as of 1 August 2023 and bulk and barreled pomace oil exports as of 22 August 2023.”
“These restriction decisions, unfortunately, as in previous years, were taken without the opinion of the Aegean Olive and Olive Oil Exporters’ Association, the only exporter association of the sector that includes all our exporters in Türkiye under its roof, without consultation with sector representatives and without prior information,” he added.
Indicating that the country entered the 2022/23 season with 50 thousand tonnes of olive oil stock, he concluded, “Our yield is calculated as 380 thousand tonnes. Considering approximately 50 thousand tonnes of olive oil coming from Afrin, we see that we have 480 thousand tonnes of olive oil. Domestic consumption is around 160 thousand tonnes and 150 thousand tonnes are exported. It is seen that we will enter the new season with approximately 170 thousand tonnes of excess stock. In addition to all these, last week, National Olive and Olive Oil Council (UZZK) updated its olive oil yield forecast for the 2023/24 season to 185 thousand tonnes, which was previously announced as 179 thousand tonnes.In the light of these data, we can clearly see that there is no reason to panic in Türkiye’s olive oil supply.”