Turkey achieved a tropical fruit export worth $17,549,948 in the first 9 months of the year. According to data compiled from the Turkish Exporters Assembly, Turkey’s export of tropical fruits such as blueberries, kiwis, dragon fruits, avocados, and mangoes has been steadily increasing over the past 4 years. In 2020, tropical fruit export was $7,355,808, which rose to $14,619,540 in 2021, $18,445,152 in 2022, and reached $24,612,795 last year. The export value for the January-September period of last year was $17,430,000, which saw a 0.69% increase to $17,549,948 in the same period this year.

In the Western Mediterranean region, which holds a significant share in tropical fruit production and export, exports have also increased in the past 4 years. The export value encompassing Antalya, Isparta, and Burdur was $1,086,000 in 2020, $2,172,000 in 2021, $3,202,000 in 2022, and $5,093,000 last year. From $3,662,000 export in the January-September period last year, the region saw a 27.79% increase this year, reaching $4,680,000 in sales within the same period.

EXPORTS FROM THE WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN ROSE FROM $1 MILLION TO $5 MILLION
Ümit Mirza Çavuşoğlu, the President of the West Mediterranean Exporters Association, told AA that the tropical fruit production that originally began as a hobby in the region has now turned into a commercial product in recent years. Çavuşoğlu highlighted the increased production of fruits like blueberries, avocados, kiwis, dragon fruits, prickly pears, pineapples, mangoes in Antalya, emphasizing that these increases have positively impacted exports.

Stating that 75% of Turkey’s tropical fruit production takes place in the Western Mediterranean region, Çavuşoğlu said, “Our region is responsible for approximately 25% of the tropical fruit exports. In this regard, our region has significant potential. Blueberries, dragon fruits, and avocados are particularly prominent in exports.” Çavuşoğlu noted that tropical fruits have high added value, which pleases the producers.

Cautioning producers to engage in production suitable for geographical location and climate conditions, Çavuşoğlu said, “If planned correctly, the future looks bright for tropical fruits. We were talking about exports of around $1 million 4 years ago, and now we have reached $5 million. We see an increase of around 50% almost every year. We closed last year with a figure above $5 million, and this year we expect to reach $7.5-8 million.”