Press release…
In the 2023/24 season, exports of seedless raisins, dried apricots and dried figs, in which Türkiye is the world leader in production and exports, soared by 8 percent from 933 million dollars to 1 billion 7 million dollars and the 1 billion dollar threshold was exceeded.
Stating that 54 thousand 876 tonnes of dried figs were exported in the 8-month period from 6 October 2023, when the season started in dried figs, which is defined as the fruit of paradise, until 3 June 2024, Mehmet Ali Işık, Head of the Aegean Dried Fruits and Products Exporters’ Association, said, “Although our dried fig exports decreased by 6 percent on quantity basis compared to the same period of the 2022/23 season, our foreign exchange income rose by 19 percent from 209 million dollars to 249 million dollars. While our dried figs were exported for 4,240 dollars per tonne last year, we exported 29 percent more value-added this season and the export price of our dried figs advanced to 5,458 dollars per tonne. In the last one-week period, the average export price of our dried figs increased to 6 thousand 431 dollars. We expect the export price of our dried figs to exceed 6,500 dollars with this course. We are taking firm steps towards the target of 300 million dollars, we set for the end of the 2023/24 season in dried fig exports.”
Pointing out that Türkiye exported 60 thousand 320 tonnes of dried apricots between 1 August 2023 and 3 June 2024 and earned 362 million 124 thousand dollars in foreign exchange revenue in dried apricots, of which Southeastern province of Malatya is the production centre, Işık explained, “But the Aegean Region is the leader in exports. The average export price of dried apricots boosted by 13 percent in dollar terms, from 6 thousand 27 dollars to 6 thousand 785 dollars. The average export price of dried apricots approached 7 thousand dollars.”
England at the top in seedless raisins…
“In Turkey’s seedless raisin exports, the UK remained at the top with 93 million 797 thousand dollars, while raisin exports to the UK soared by 17 percent. While the Netherlands exported 41 million dollars worth of seedless raisins from Türkiye in the 9-month period of the 2022/23 season, it imported 53 million dollars worth of raisins in the same period of the 2023/24 season with a spike of 29 percent and ranked second, surpassing Germany. Germany imported 40.5 million dollars worth of sultanas from Türkiye and ranked third,” Işık added.
“While our seedless raisin exports to Italy increased by 33 percent from 22 million to 29.5 million dollars, our seedless raisin exports to Australia jumped by 58 percent in terms of quantity and 85 percent in terms of foreign currency and rose from 12.7 million to 23.4 million dollars. These countries were followed by France with a demand of 23 million 133 thousand dollars and Japan with a demand of 20.4 million dollars,” Işık concluded…