Home / Agricultural Economy / Agribusiness / HAYRETTIN UCAK: WE AIM TO SURPASS 1 BILLION DOLLARS IN CITRUS EXPORTS THIS YEAR

HAYRETTIN UCAK: WE AIM TO SURPASS 1 BILLION DOLLARS IN CITRUS EXPORTS THIS YEAR

Press release…

Five thousand Mediterranean Fruit Fly control traps, within the scope of the ‘Expansion of Biotechnical Control Against the Mediterranean Fruit Fly Project’ and ‘Good Agricultural Practices Project’ realized in cooperation with the Aegean Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters’ Association (EYMSİB) and İzmir Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry for the purpose of residue-free and value-added production, were distributed to the producers with the ceremony held in İzmir’s Menderes-Gümüldür district.

Hayrettin Uçak

“We are in the 8th place across the world citrus production and the 4th in the exports”

Aegean Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Exporters’ Association Chairperson Hayrettin Uçak said, “First of all, we thank our Agriculture and Forestry Provincial Director Mustafa Özen, our esteemed district managers, district governors, regional deputies, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry for their sensitivity and intensive efforts in biotechnical control over the past year. I would like to thank our technical staff and growers. We have two basic conditions for success in production and export. Residue-free production and quality production.”

“We rank 8th in world citrus production and 4th in export. While Türkiye’s citrus exports amounted to 904 million dollars in 2022, tangerines became the export leader with 463 million dollars. While our lemon exports amounted to 273 million dollars, we obtained 98 million dollars from our orange exports and 69 million dollars from grapefruit. We aim to exceed 1 billion dollars in citrus exports in 2023,” he added.

“Europe and Russia are the most important markets for us and residue-free production is very important to penetrate into these markets”

Pointing out that residue-free and quality production is vitally important in order not to lose their place and to go further, Uçak explained, “That’s why we always support our farmers to produce residue-free and as all stakeholders, we take responsibility for whatever needs to be done in this regard. In this context, we also support the biotechnical struggle. With our İzmir Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry, we have been distributing Mediterranean Fruit Fly traps to our producers for several years. We are also running the Good Agricultural Practices Project.”

“As the Association, we have been trying to identify problematic areas in terms of residues by taking samples from the regions for 3 years. Europe and Russia are the most important markets for us and residue-free production is very important to enter these markets. In order not to lose these markets, we need to continue to work together. The biotechnical struggle in plant production is a national issue for us. I wish our citrus fruit season, which will start in September, be fruitful and beneficial,” he concluded…

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