Agricultural Sector Posts Record Exports

Agriculture sector hits record high for January-April exports at USD 11.175 billion. The agriculture sector continues to break export records. In an environment marked by geopolitical risks, supply-side concerns, and ongoing global food security challenges, demand for Turkish agricultural products continues to grow. Turkey's agriculture sector reached an all-time high for January-April exports at USD 11.175 billion. In the first four months of the year, agricultural exports increased 1.6% compared to the same period in 2022 and accounted for 13.8% of Turkey's total foreign sales. Three of the 10 sectors operating within agriculture broke export records in the first four months. The cereals, pulses, oilseeds and products, fresh fruits and vegetables, and olives and olive oil sectors achieved their all-time highest foreign sales. Cereals, pulses, oilseeds and products reached USD 3.801 billion, fresh fruits and vegetables USD 1.176 billion, and olives and olive oil USD 377.017 million in all-time high January-April exports. In the first four months, cereals, pulses, oilseeds and products recorded 7.4% export growth, fresh fruits and vegetables 20.9%, and olives and olive oil 161%.

Exports to Iraq exceed USD 600 million

By country, in the first four months of the year, Turkey exported USD 660.6 million in cereals, pulses, oilseeds and products to Iraq, USD 316.534 million in fresh fruits and vegetables to Russia, and USD 130.7 million in olives and olive oil to Spain. Compared to the same period in 2022 during the first four months, exports of cereals, pulses, oilseeds and products to Iraq decreased by USD 42.232 million, while the fresh fruits and vegetables sector recorded a USD 107.751 million increase in exports to Russia, and the olives and olive oil sector recorded a USD 123.699 million increase in exports to Spain.

Increase in olives and olive oil exports to Spain

Olive and olive oil exports to Spain, which were USD 7 million in the first four months of last year, rose to USD 130 million in the same period of 2023. By province, during January-April exports included USD 1.174 billion in cereals, pulses, oilseeds and products from Istanbul, USD 306.138 million in fresh fruits and vegetables from Antalya, and USD 176.352 million in olives and olive oil from Izmir.   Source