THE GLOBAL WINDOW OF TURKISH FOOD AND AGRICULTURE The Global Window of Turkish Food and Agriculture Sector
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Press release…
FRESH FRUIT AND VEGETABLE EXPORTS SEE A DECLINE IN VOLUME BUT SET A RECORD IN VALUE!
Ferhat Gürüz, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Mediterranean Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters’ Association, announced that Türkiye’s fresh fruit and vegetable exports reached 1.3 billion dollars in the first quarter of 2026. Emphasising that they had achieved a 35 percent spike compared to the same period last year in the first three months of the year, Chairman Ferhat Gürüz stated, “This performance also demonstrates our sector’s ability to transform with a focus on quality, market diversification and added value.”
“During this period, the Mediterranean Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters’ Association recorded exports worth 643.7 million dollars, a 38 percent spike and contributed 49 percent to the sector’s total exports,” Gürüz said.
Tangerines accounted for 33 percent of total exports…
Pointing out that total export volume fell by 3 percent to 1.07 million tonnes in the first quarter of the year and that changes in product composition and increases in unit prices had become the sector’s main driving force, Gürüz noted, “The most striking performance in the first quarter of 2026 came from mandarins. Export volume rose by 36 percent to 429.7 million kilograms, whilst value soared by 85 percent to 434.4 million dollars. Thus, tangerines alone accounted for 33 percent of total export revenue. Tomatoes ranked second with exports worth 180 million dollars, despite a 21 percent drop in volume. Peppers reached 155 million dollars, with a 35 percent spike in value. One of the year’s most striking surges occurred in the onion and shallot group. Volume rose by 2,596 percent to 57,000 tonnes, whilst value soared by 1,440 percent to 15.2 million dollars. This extraordinary spike demonstrated Türkiye’s ability to respond swiftly to shifts in the global supply balance. Whilst volumes declined for products such as gherkins and courgettes, value growth continued. Value growth persisted in the strawberry, aubergine and carrot-turnip group.”
Underlining that the data from the first three months of the year clearly indicates that Türkiye’s fresh fruit and vegetable exports have entered a new phase, Gürüz concluded, “Strengthened leadership in citrus, increased value production in vegetables and declines in certain fruit products demonstrate that the sector is now moving towards a more selective, strategic and data-driven structure. In the coming period, success will belong to producers and exporters who can match the right products with the right markets, increase added value and adapt swiftly to changing global demand.”
