Malatya Commodity Exchange Chairman Ramazan Özcan said that the Far East is a new market for dried apricot exporters.
Özcan said, “In 2018, we exported about 3 thousand 200 tons by leaping to China, where we exported about 500 tons in the previous year. You know, last year, the Covid-19 epidemic started in China, from the period when social life restrictions began, to June and July. We had trouble. Exports to China recovered again and we closed the year 2020 with 1880 tons. Our export target to China this year is 5 thousand tons, of course, this depends on the relaxation of Covid-19 restrictions in social life there.”
EUROPEAN COUNTRIES MAINTAIN ITS IMPORTANCE IN EXPORT
Noting that France and Germany are also important in terms of dried apricot exports among European countries, Özcan continued as follows:
“There is an increase of approximately 700 tons in our exports to Germany. We exported 6 thousand 800 tons to Germany and 7 thousand tons to France. Europe is a valuable and important market for us, we maintain our power here. There is a partial increase in our exports to European countries. We plan to continue increasing our exports to European countries this year.”
CUSTOMS DUTY APPLICATION OF RUSSIA AFFECTS EXPORT
Özcan reminded that last year, 8 million 929 thousand dollars of input was provided from Russia against 4 thousand 455 tons of export.
Özcan explained that there was a partial decrease in dried apricot exports in the Russian and Ukrainian markets and this was attributed to more than one reason in the assessment made with exporters.
“Due to the fact that the prices of dried apricots produced at low cost in Central Asian regions are partially cheaper than our prices, there is a partial decrease in our exports in Russia and Ukraine. One of our problems is that Russia applies a partial customs tax on dried apricot imports. It leaves it in a difficult situation and there is an increase in the price of dried apricots,” Özcan added.
“There is a customs tax application of about 80 cents and 1 dollar. If this customs tax application in Russia is lifted, we can start exports over 10 thousand tons again,” Özcan concluded…