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Turkey Pasta Industrialists’ Association Chairman of the Board Abdülkadir Külahçıoğlu said that pasta exports exceeded 360 million dollars in the first half of the year by increasing 25 percent.
Külahçıoğlu said, “Actually our target for exports was 10 percent. But now the growth surpasses our expectations.”
Külahçıoğlu told the Anadolu Agency (AA) correspondent that one of the most sought-after food products in the new type of coronavirus (Covid-19) process is pasta.
Stating that there has been an increase in pasta exports in terms of value and quantity, Külahçıoğlu noted, “60 million dollars of income was obtained from 118 thousand tons of pasta exports in June and the amount increased by 59.85 percent and 67.92 percent in value compared to the same month of the previous year.”
Külahçıoğlu also underlind that the exports in January-May period increased by 20 percent compared to the previous year and amounted to 301 million 15 thousand dollars.
“Since TURKSTAT foreign trade statistics will be announced at the end of the month, we have created the evaluation in the light of information from our members. Pasta exports increased by 20 percent in the first 6 months of 2020 compared to the first half of last year and reached 710 thousand tons in quantity. We can say that we will be closing the year with an export income of over 700 million dollars,” Külahçıoğlu added.
Pasta exports to 160 countries…
Emphasizing that exports are above the targets and expectations in the first half of the year, Külahçıoğlu explained, “Our target in exports was 10 percent increase. Our current growth is 25 percent and above our expectation in terms of value. By the way most exports are made to Venezuela, Somalia and Angola. While Venezuela was the most exported country, other South American countries also took the first place. There were shifts in some markets with the effect of Covid-19. For example, there is a quota limitation in exports to the European Union. We filled this quota at the end of May. The loss occurred here was balanced by the increase in South American and African countries.”
“The annual production capacity of 24 companies across Turkey reach to 3 million tons. In the first half of this year, we got 1 million 250 thousand tons of production. Meanwhile our sector employs 50 thousand people directly and indirectly. As the pasta sector, we think we have created an important value for our country. Our goal is to reach 1 billion dollars by increasing our exports,” Külahçıoğlu concluded…
