Priority for Products from the Earthquake Region in Exports

Priority for Earthquake-Zone Products in Exports Following the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes, it became vital for food production to continue in the 11 cities severely damaged by the disaster and for these products to reach Turkey's 81 provinces and the world through a food corridor. Turkish exporters will give priority to purchasing products from earthquake-affected farmers to enable continued production and provide positive discrimination to producers. The term "food corridor" dominated the world agenda for an extended period following the Russia-Ukraine war. With Turkey's successful mediation between Russia and Ukraine, a formula was found for Ukrainian-produced goods to reach the world through a food corridor. Hayrettin Uçak, Deputy Coordinator Chairman of the Aegean Exporters Associations and Chairman of the Aegean Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters Association, noted that Anatolian and Mesopotamian lands have served as humanity's food stores and food corridor since the earliest days of human history. He emphasized that following the earthquake, these lands will continue their productive role for humanity and stressed the need for necessary measures to ensure producers remain in the region. Uçak offered condolences to those who lost their lives in Adana, Adıyaman, Diyarbakır, Elazığ, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kahramanmaraş, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye and Şanlıurfa, where the earthquake caused major devastation, and wished speedy recovery for the injured. He said, "Our nation will prevail. Together with our government, civil society organizations, companies and citizens, we will heal these wounds." Providing information about the production potential of fruits, vegetables, cereals, legumes, oilseeds and other food products in the 11 provinces deeply affected by the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes, Uçak stated that producers in these 11 provinces supply 20% of Turkey's fruit production and 15% of its vegetable production. Uçak continued: "Cotton, apricots, almonds, table grapes, citrus products, watermelons, tomato paste peppers, dried onions and wheat are just a few of the products that dominate production in the earthquake region. While Turkey exported USD 25 billion worth of food in 2022, the 11 provinces affected by the earthquake exported USD 7.4 billion worth of food. The continuity of this export depends on continued production in these provinces. For production to continue, our producers must remain on their lands," he said. Expressing readiness to provide all types of support as exporters for continued production in the earthquake region, Uçak continued: "For earthquake-zone food products to reach the world and for these regions to maintain their producer status, all links in the supply chain bear major responsibilities. Our government must implement special incentives for this region. Local administrations and development agencies must direct all their resources toward producers in these areas, and as exporters, we want to put our shoulder to the wheel to help our producers in the earthquake region return to their work. We will give priority to exporting products grown on the fertile lands of this region. These fertile lands and the farmers who work them have met humanity's food needs throughout history. We will continue to strive to ensure they meet these needs going forward." While 20% of Turkey's fruit production takes place in earthquake provinces, when products are examined: 26% of table grape production, 53% of apricots, 34% of almonds are produced in these provinces. The 11 provinces deeply affected by the earthquake supply 12% of vegetable production in Turkey. 30% of Turkey's watermelon production, 28% of tomato paste pepper production, 16% of dried onion production are grown in these lands through the labor of farmers in this region. When cereals and other plant products are examined, earthquake provinces account for 20% of wheat production and 72% of cotton production. While 18% of Turkey's protected cultivation vegetable production areas are located in earthquake provinces, watermelons and tomato paste peppers stand out as leading products. The earthquake provinces have managed to reflect their production strength in their exports. The 11 provinces deeply affected by the earthquake account for 30% of Turkey's food exports. In their exports, the cereals, legumes and oilseeds sector leads with USD 3.5 billion in exports, while the fresh fruit and vegetable and processed fruit and vegetable products sector achieved USD 1.1 billion in exports. This region's total food exports reach USD 7.5 billion."