Aegean Region Leads Exports to Belgium and the Netherlands

Aegean Region Leads Exports to Belgium and Netherlands The Aegean Fresh Produce and Vegetable Exporters Association, which achieved TRY 813 million in exports with 14% growth during the first 9 months of 2021, is organizing a sectoral trade delegation to the Netherlands and Belgium from 28 November to 2 December. Hayrettin Uçak, Chairman of the Aegean Fresh Produce and Vegetable Exporters Association, presented current developments in the fresh produce and processed fruit and vegetable sector and shared his assessment of export figures for the January-September period at a press conference held in Seferihisar. Uçak stated: "As vaccination rates have been rising rapidly worldwide and in our country, we decided as an association to resume our in-person activities. In our first in-person initiative, we will organize a trade delegation focused on fresh produce and processed fruit and vegetable sectors to the Netherlands and Belgium at the end of November, and we will conduct bilateral business meetings there. We have currently received applications from 15 of our members." Uçak noted that the Aegean Fresh Produce and Vegetable Exporters Association's exports rose to USD 813 million with 14% growth during the January-September period, and highlighted that the Netherlands ranks fourth for both Turkey and the Aegean region in fruit and vegetable processed product exports and is a traditional market. He continued as follows: "To the Netherlands, we achieved TRY 103 million in processed fruit and vegetable exports during January-September with 24% growth on Turkey-wide basis. Of this export, our region contributed TRY 50 million with 34% growth. Turkey's fresh produce exports to the Netherlands reached approximately USD 44 million with a 10% increase. To Belgium, our processed product exports amounted to USD 22 million with 23% growth on Turkey-wide basis during the 9-month period, while fresh produce exports reached USD 8 million with 14% growth. USD 13 million of the processed fruit and vegetable exports to Belgium originates from the Aegean region." Noting that the Netherlands and Belgium present significant potential in terms of fresh produce and processed fruit and vegetable products, Hayrettin Uçak made the following remarks about the two markets: "The Netherlands is among the world's most important importers with annual imports of USD 10 billion in fresh produce and USD 7 billion in processed fruit and vegetables. From a logistics perspective, the Netherlands stands out as an important distribution hub for reaching many regions of Europe. Belgium similarly ranks among Europe's important buyer countries with fresh produce imports exceeding USD 3.5 billion annually and processed fruit and vegetable imports of USD 4.5 billion. Although it is a smaller market compared to the Netherlands, it is an attractive export destination due to its role as a re-export hub and its significance in intra-European trade."