Sharp Rise in Seafood Exports

Aegean Aquatic Products and Livestock Products Exporters Association, increased its exports from USD 110 million in July 2021 to USD 132 million in July 2022 with a 20% rise, while raising exports to USD 1.5 billion over the past 12 months with a 29% increase.   Aegean Aquatic Products and Livestock Products Exporters Association Chairman Bedri Girit stated that the Turkish aquatic products and livestock products sector exceeded its 2023 export target of USD 3.5 billion in February 2022. Bedri Girit made the following remarks on the subject: "As the Turkish aquatic products and livestock products sector, having reached the 2023 target two years ahead of schedule, we have set targets of USD 3.8 billion for the end of 2022 and USD 4.2 billion for the end of 2023." "Of our USD 1.5 billion record over the past 12 months, USD 1.023 billion came from our aquatic products exports. Of Turkey's USD 1.548 billion in aquatic products exports over the past year, 66% was generated from the Aegean Region. Over the past year, we increased our average export price for aquatic products from USD 5.7 to USD 6.6. Aquaculture in Turkey has grown significantly over the last 20 years. This is reflected in our export figures as well. The Aegean Region is the leading region in this respect. The Aegean Aquatic Products and Livestock Products Exporters Association, which ranked last in exports within EİB in 1980, has now risen to lead in food and rank second among all sectors with this development."  

We earned USD 951 million with a 19% increase from sea bass, sea bream, tuna and trout

Girit noted that they exported aquatic products to 62 countries, led by the United Kingdom with USD 155 million, Italy with USD 138 million and the Netherlands with USD 113 million. Girit continued as follows: "Greece with USD 96 million, Russia with USD 78 million, Germany with USD 63 million, Spain with USD 52 million, the United States with USD 51 million and Japan with USD 41 million are among our largest export markets. We earned USD 951 million with a 19% increase from sea bass, sea bream, tuna and trout, which dominate aquatic products exports. In our sea bass exports, which reached USD 476 million with a 22% increase over the past 12 months, the United Kingdom is our primary market, while in sea bream, where Italy stands out, we reached USD 340 million with a 9% increase. We increased our tuna exports by 57% to USD 110 million, with most of our exports going to Japan, while our trout exports, where Germany stands out, reached USD 25 million."  

Poultry exports rose 139%

Bedri Girit, explaining that they conducted poultry exports, which represent the second largest item with a USD 259 million share in aquatic and livestock products exports and show the highest export growth at 139% increase, to 59 countries, stated the following: "We increased our poultry exports to Iraq by 219% to USD 99 million, to China by 270% to USD 63 million, and to Congo by 60% to USD 16 million. Our egg exports, showing a 23% increase in our USD 1.023 billion aquatic and livestock products exports, reached USD 87 million. In our egg exports to 32 countries, with the Middle East and Gulf countries as main markets, we exported USD 27 million to the United Arab Emirates, ranking first, with a 92% increase, USD 10 million to Qatar with a 25% increase, and USD 9 million to Kuwait."

Target: USD 10 billion

"In dairy and dairy products exported to 50 countries, we achieved a 29% increase to USD 74 million. Egypt ranks first with a 250% increase at USD 14 million, the United Arab Emirates second with a 7% increase at USD 14 million, and Iraq third with a 25% increase at USD 6 million. We exported honey to 32 countries and increased it by 23% to USD 13 million. The United States with a 12% increase at USD 5 million and Germany with a 29% increase at USD 3 million are the top two countries in our honey exports. Spain, recording a 284% increase over the past year, rose to third place with USD 1.4 million. Our other aquatic and livestock products group accounts for USD 50 million of our exports. We will continue to produce and export, steadily increasing our exports by 2035 to become a sector that will bring USD 10 billion in foreign currency to Turkey".