NEDİM KALPAKLIOĞLU: WE CAN EXPORT UP TO 100 MILLION DOLLARS OF PINE HONEY

100 million dollars export target in pine honey...

Production of pine honey which contains abundant richness in vitamins and minerals, has been requested to be supported in order to provide more exports.

Nedim Kalpaklıoğlu, Aegean Fisheries and Animal Products Exporters Union Board Member, said that 15 thousand tons of pine honey produced in Turkey, while only 10 thousand tons of this amount could be exported.

"Turkey is a world leader regarding pine honey production yet it might reach 100 million dollars if some incentives could be given to boost the amount of exports" he said.

Olive oil incentive system can be modeled...

Kalpaklıoğlu shared the information that the biggest recipient of European countries on honey exports from Turkey, "90 percent of export honey to Europe's honey exports. European Union standards are very high, really demanding high quality products from us. We must encourage the farmers to produce the products that can be exported. We can support the producer through the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The Ministry of Commerce may give incentives according to the export of value-added products. Packaged honey exports should be encouraged. The incentive model in olive oil can be used as an example for honey stimulation" he noted.

Kalpaklıoğlu concluded, "Our largest export market in Europe, China and Japan also want to taste this different flavour. Especially Japan is a good market for this business. Besides the Japanese are open to new flavours. We can strengthen our position in the Far East market by improving the quality of production. One can not find such a quality of honey except only Turkey. Pine honey is very authentic product of Anatolia region particularly Muğla region."

Turkey in 2017, signing 23 million 893 thousand dollars in the export of honey, an increase of 7 percent in 2018 reached 25 million 503 thousand dollars...