EXPORTS OF PASTA INCREASES 4.3 PERCENT AS 613 THOUSAND TONS...

Turkey's exports of pasta, compared to the same period last year January-June period, increased by 4.3 percent as the amount stepping up to 613 thousand tons, while being limited to 3 percent increase in value was 287 million dollars.

Pasta Producers and Industrialists Association (MÜSAD) said, in a statement, pasta export figures in the first six months of the year unveiled the loss caused by exports of unbranded products in the sector once again. Pasta exports amounted to 74 thousand tons in June with a decrease of 15.1 percent in terms of quantity compared to the same month of the previous year and decreased by 14 percent in value to 35 million dollars.

Despite the increase in the tonnage, the lower increase in export revenue stemmed from the decrease in the unit price. While the average unit price per ton was 474 dollars in the first six months of last year, the unit price fell 1.3 percent to 468 dollars in the same period of this year. In June 2018, the price of a ton was 470 dollars and rose by 1.3 percent in this June to 476 dollars.

Although wheat production in Turkey done enough to meet the annual domestic needs, the deficit in the production of durum wheat for pasta production needed, shut down by imports. Durum wheat imports in the first six months of this year compared to same period of the previous year with an increase of 47 percent in the amount of 451 thousand tons and 59.1 percent increase in value was realized as 124.9 million dollars.

The average unit price per ton, which was 256 dollars in the January-June 2018 period, rose by 8.2 percent to 277 dollars in the same period of this year. The figures showed that Turkey paid more foreign currency for the import of durum wheat in the first six months of the year, whereas it also revealed that the pasta produced by costly imported wheat was exported more cheaply.