ASHİB Holds 2021 Export Award Ceremony

Akdeniz İhracatçı Birlikleri (AKİB) umbrella organization's Mediterranean Aquatic Products and Animal Products Exporters Association (ASHİB) has achieved the distinction of being the union with the highest export growth among 8 member unions in 2021, rewarding its top 15 members providing the strongest support from Konya and Karaman during this period. The ASHİB 2021 Annual Export Awards Ceremony was held in Konya with the participation of Board Chairman Yüksel Akgöl, Vice Chairman Ali Can Yamanyılmaz and regional exporters. Speaking at the ceremony's opening, ASHİB Vice Chairman Ali Can Yamanyılmaz stated that they achieved exports of USD 524.8 million with an 81.63 percent increase compared to the previous year in 2021. Noting that ASHİB is a large family with 766 members across Turkey, particularly in Adana, Hatay, Mersin, Kayseri, Konya, Nevşehir, Niğde and Karaman, selling to 126 countries, Vice Chairman Yamanyılmaz continued: "The Anatolian geography, which has cradled countless civilizations throughout history, has been nourishing humanity for thousands of years with its fertile lands, climate conducive to agricultural production in all four seasons, and the rich food diversity in its inland waters and seas. As ASHİB, for 82 years we have been generating foreign currency for our country by marketing high-quality and healthy production across a wide range of products—from aquatic products to poultry meat and eggs, from honey to dairy products, from red meat products to offal—on world markets."

They achieved 13 percent of exports

Emphasizing that ASHİB's export family contributed 15.7 percent to Turkey's overall sector exports, which reached USD 3.4 billion with a 38.8 percent increase in 2021, Vice Chairman Yamanyılmaz stated: "Our Association, which turned to seeking alternative markets in the face of geopolitical risks and protectionist measures in Middle Eastern countries that constitute the main markets for Turkey's animal food exports, continued its efforts in 2021 with great determination and resolve despite all challenges while pandemic effects persisted, achieving record-level growth in export performance compared to the previous year. I individually congratulate our member companies that signed export increases reaching 62-fold rates in Egypt, Algeria and China markets, and extend my gratitude. I also wholeheartedly congratulate our members in Konya who achieved 13 percent of our exports during this period."

Committees will be established in sub-sectors

Emphasizing that they are working to further increase ASHİB's exports with the Management Board formed under the presidency of Yüksel Akgöl at the ordinary election-based general meeting held last April, Vice Chairman Yamanyılmaz said: "Our new Management Board, which will serve until 2026, has rolled up its sleeves to implement projects that will transform the potential to further increase export figures for our sector and region through harmonious teamwork. In the new period, as an association we will establish committees in six sub-sectors and make efforts to resolve problems in these areas more quickly and effectively. In this framework, we established our first professional committee in the dairy products sector and held our first meeting before our awards ceremony. We will embrace everyone, proceed with consultations and collective wisdom, and will monitor the resolution of our problems by presenting them to the official authorities."

Champions received their awards

Following the opening remarks and presentation of a promotional film, ASHİB Board Chairman Yüksel Akgöl and Vice Chairman Ali Can Yamanyılmaz presented awards to representatives of the top 10 ASHİB member companies in Konya and top 5 in Karaman that achieved the highest exports. At the ceremony, representatives of Akova Milk Food Products Industry, Erbasu Aquatic Products and Industry, Topçuoğlu Livestock, Çetinkaya Poultry, Büyük Angın Food, İzi Milk, Tunçlar Food, Torunoğlu Milk, Kuzucu Milk Products and Karapınar District Milk Producers' Association Economic Enterprise from Konya; and Slava Milk and Dairy Products, Folk Poultry, Eggfarm Agricultural Livestock, Kayaoğulları Poultry and Ramsel Food Agriculture and Animal Products from Karaman received their awards to applause.