THE GLOBAL WINDOW OF TURKISH FOOD AND AGRICULTURE The Global Window of Turkish Food and Agriculture Sector
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Press release…
A new era has dawned for Türkiye’s fresh fruit and vegetable exports. The Sector Council of the Turkish Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters’ Associations, the sector’s umbrella organisation, held its first meeting in Mersin, hosted by the coordinating body, the Mediterranean Exporters’ Associations (AKİB), to chart a course for the future. The meeting, held at the AKİB premises, saw strategic decisions taken that not only charted the sector’s future course but also shed new light on the rise of Turkish agriculture in global markets and demonstrated a firm commitment to export targets.
Oğuzhan Altun was elected as Chairman of the Sector Council…
Oğuzhan Altun, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Mediterranean Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters’ Association, who was unanimously elected as Chairman of the Sector Council at the meeting, clearly outlined the vision for the 2026–2027 season. Mehmet Ali Can, Chairman of the Western Mediterranean Exporters’ Association and Murat İsmail Hamdi Taner, Chairman of the Uludağ Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters’ Association, were appointed as Vice-Chairmen.
“We are determined to make 2026 a year of record production and record exports”
In his statement, Oğuzhan Altun highlighted the sector’s success in the first quarter of 2026, noting, “Our fresh fruit and vegetable exports reached 1.073 billion dollars in the January–March period, marking a 35 percent spike compared to the same period last year. This is just the beginning. We are determined to make 2026 a year of record production and record exports. With the support of the Ministry of Trade and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, we are preparing to make history as a sector.”
“We have focused on Japan for Bursa black figs, the US for citrus fruits and Egypt and India for apples”
Pointing out that that they will make new market openings a key priority with a visionary roadmap, Altun said, “We are taking a prestigious step towards Japan. We have accelerated negotiations on the plant health protocol for the export of Bursa Black Figs to Japan. We aim to make our first shipments within this season. Thus, the Turkish fig, known as the ‘Pearl of the Far East’, will take its rightful place in the Japanese market. A citrus push into the US market is also on the horizon. Technical and diplomatic talks to pave the way for the export of our tangerins and other citrus products to the US are progressing positively. We plan to enter this important market very soon.”
“We have also focused on Egypt and India to make the most of our record apple production. Our diplomatic efforts to reduce import duties in Egypt are continuing intensively. At the same time, we are seeking solutions to the logistical issues in India, our largest buyer, so that we can convert our production into exports and increase added value,” he added…
