TİM Cereals and Pulses Sector Board Meets

The Turkey Exporters Council (TİM) Cereals, Pulses, Oilseeds and Products Sector Board met in Gaziantep under the chairmanship of Mahsum Altunkaya. At the meeting, in addition to the general state of sectoral exports, global agenda items and in particular the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on food markets were discussed. Mahsum Altunkaya, Chairman of the Cereals, Pulses, Oilseeds and Products Sector Board, said that Turkey is taking on a key role for both world peace and trade. Noting that the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine is affecting many countries in the world negatively, Altunkaya called for the war to end as soon as possible and for peace to be established.

"Our agricultural products are as important as F-35 and S-400"

In an assessment following the meeting, Mahsum Altunkaya, Chairman of the TİM Cereals, Pulses, Oilseeds and Products Sector Board, stated that agricultural products are of great importance to mankind and are at least as important as F-35 and S-400 systems. Referring to the pandemic process experienced globally as well as the Russia-Ukraine war that has shaken the world in recent weeks and its negative effects on the world economy, Altunkaya underscored that due to worsening conditions, humanity has entered an economically difficult period as product prices rise.

"Turkey's role in regional peace is very important"

Drawing attention to Turkey's strategic location and its assumption of the most important mediator role in the Russia-Ukraine war just as it did following past conflicts in the Middle East, Altunkaya said, "Turkey, by virtue of its geography, continues to assume a key role today as it did in the past. We hope that mutual understanding will be reached between the parties in the near future and this human tragedy will end."

Export figures were evaluated in the sector board

Stating that in the first two months of 2022 sectoral exports of USD 1 billion 813 million 397 thousand were achieved from across Turkey, Mahsum Altunkaya, Chairman of the TİM Cereals, Pulses, Oilseeds and Products Sector Board, noted that among the product groups exported from Turkey during this period, bakery products ranked first with USD 363 million 147 thousand, milling products with USD 339 million 679 thousand, and vegetable oils with USD 331 million 127 thousand. Chairman Altunkaya added that in addition to these products, other food preparations, sugar and sugar products, pulses, cocoa products, cereals and oilseeds, as well as various spices were exported from across Turkey. During the January-February period, wheat flour, vegetable oils and pasta were Turkey's most exported products. Chairman Mahsum Altunkaya also announced that wheat flour ranked first in product-based exports with USD 218 million 116 thousand, noting that sunflower oil ranked second during this period with USD 179 million 919 thousand and pasta with USD 131 million 960 thousand. He disclosed that among the top ten products with the highest product-based exports were wheat flour, sunflower oil and pasta, followed by other food products containing chocolate and cocoa, sweets, biscuits and waffles, red lentils, sugar products without cocoa, sunflower seeds, and pet food products.

Exports mainly to Iraq, USA and Syria

Chairman Mahsum Altunkaya added that the highest country-based exports were made to Iraq, saying, "Iraq ranks first in exports for all sectors both in our region and for our country. In the first two months of 2022, a total of USD 360 million 123 thousand in sectoral exports to Iraq were achieved, while this country was followed by the United States with USD 113 million 87 thousand, Syria with USD 98 million 834 thousand, Libya with USD 66 million 788 thousand, and Djibouti with USD 56 million 129 thousand. During this period, Yemen received USD 53 million 847 thousand, Lebanon USD 44 million 353 thousand, Israel USD 43 million, the Russian Federation USD 42 million 614 thousand and Germany USD 41 million 242 thousand in sectoral exports. The total export value of the top ten countries to which Turkey exports the most was USD 920 million 22 thousand for this period, while the total export value to all countries worldwide reached USD 1 billion 813 million 397 thousand. We believe that our export growth will continue and that we will reach our targets set for 2022 once the current issues are resolved," he said.