THE GLOBAL WINDOW OF TURKISH FOOD AND AGRICULTURE The Global Window of Turkish Food and Agriculture Sector
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Press release…
Tobacco sector exported 451 million dollars in 6 months…
Tobacco sector maintained its export position…
Leaf tobacco exports increased by 21 percent…
The tobacco sector managed to maintain the export level in the first half of 2023 with an export performance of 451 million dollars in the first half of 2024; while the sector aims to export 1 billion dollars at the end of the year with the exports to be realised in the second half of 2024.
According to the data of the Aegean Tobacco Exporters’ Association, leaf tobacco exports surged by 21 percent from 107.6 million dollars to 130.6 million dollars, while cigarette exports brought in 218 million dollars and hookah tobacco exports brought in 38 million dollars in foreign currency. Exports of 65 million dollars from the export of other tobacco products were recorded.
Ömer Celal Umur, Chair of the Aegean Tobacco Exporters’ Association, stated that they achieved an 11 percent increase rate in exports in 2023 and brought in 922 million dollars in foreign currency and noted that they will try to reach the export target of 1 billion dollars with the exports they will make in the second half of 2024.
Underlining that the tobacco sector is a critical sector for the country with the employment and tax revenues it provides in addition to export revenues, Umur said, “Türkiye ranks seventh in the world tobacco production and is the world leader in oriental tobacco production. Following the decision to gradually boost the domestic blend ratio from 15 percent to 30 per cent in cigarettes produced in Türkiye, we have made significant progress in the production of Virginia and Burley type tobacco. We have exceeded 20 million kilos of Virginia type tobacco production and are moving towards 30 million kilos. We aim to reach a production of 6 million kilos in Burley tobacco.”
Pointing out that they keep up their way with sustainability-based projects in the Turkish tobacco sector, Umur continued as follows; “We have production technologies that can easily meet world standards. We have activities to achieve the quality of our products, contracted production with our producers and sustainable agriculture target. In order to ramp up production and support the spike in exports, we carry out various social responsibility projects in areas such as production, environment, infrastructure, labour force, water use in tobacco farming with working groups formed from tobacco exporter companies within the framework of sustainability in tobacco farming. Within the framework of these projects, we launched the Farmer Advantage Card (FAC) in order to reduce the agricultural input costs of 60 thousand tobacco producers. Companies offering special discounts to tobacco producers were defined on the cards and a membership system was created. The standardisation and development of personal protective equipments, the collection, disposal and recycling of empty packages of plant protection products used in production at collection centres are ongoing.”
Iraq, USA and Iran at the top in tobacco exports…
While Türkiye exported tobacco and tobacco products to 103 countries in the first half of 2024, Iraq was at the top with a demand of 68 million dollars. Iraq was followed by the United States of America with an export of 61 million dollars, while tobacco and tobacco products exports to Iran soared by 195 percent from 14 million dollars to 42 million dollars.
On the other hand, Iran stood out with a demand of 39.6 million dollars in leaf tobacco exports, the leading country in cigarette exports was Iraq with 18.6 million dollars. Iraq was at the top in hookah tobacco exports with a demand of 47.8 million dollars…
