THE GLOBAL WINDOW OF TURKISH FOOD AND AGRICULTURE The Global Window of Turkish Food and Agriculture Sector
Related Articles
August 2026…
A harvest of over 90,000 tonnes of dried figs is expected in the new season, representing an increase of approximately 20 percent compared to last year.
Işınsu Kestelli, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of the Izmir Commodity Exchange (İTB), made assessments regarding the dried fig season at the August council.
Stating that the new season is encouraging for the sector, Kestelli said that an increase of approximately 20 percent in yield is foreseen compared to last season.
“The general expectation is that production will exceed 90,000 tonnes this year. This is an important opportunity for our producers and our sector. However, the main issue for us is not only to produce more, but to be able to deliver this product to world markets in a high-quality, safe and sustainable manner,” she said.
Pointing out the importance of reflecting the high yield in exports with a high-quality and safe product, she noted, “Food safety is one of the most important agendas of the sector.”
Kestelli, reminding that controls in the European Union market have been tightened, noted that Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) notifications increased from 155 in the 2024/25 season to 248 last season.
Indicating that there was an approximately 280 percent spike in ochratoxin notifications, while a flatoxin notifications saw a decrease of up to 50 percent, she explained, “We must be more careful in all processes, starting from pre-harvest, through harvesting, drying, sorting and storage. Because an error in any link of the chain can put the entire batch at risk.”
Kestelli also pointed out that climate change increases risks, emphasizing the need for cooperation among all stakeholders, from producers to exporters.
Drawing attention to the production potential, Kestelli concluded, “We have a production potential of over 90,000 tonnes ahead of us. Our hope is to complete this bountiful season not only with high yields but also with high quality, strong food safety and sustainable exports.”
