TURKISH OLIVE OIL EXPORTERS INVEST IN UK AFTER BREXIT...

Press release...

Turkish olive oil exporters invest in UK after Brexit...

Turkish olive oil exporters expect the UK to leave a huge market that imports an annual 285 million dollars olive oil with 60 million inhabitants after the departure of the European Union. Ege Olive and Olive Oil Exporters' Association (EZZIB) participated in the Specialty & Fine Food Fair 2019 in London in order to get a big share from the UK market after Brexit and tasted and introduced Turkish olive and olive oil.

Stating that with the support of Turkey Promotion Group, they have realized promotional activities, EZZİB Chairman Davut Er said that customs duty which is 1.2 euros/kg is applied to Turkish olive and olive oil exports by European Union, therefore very low levels of olive oil exports to EU countries can be made.

England is a giant market worth 285 million dollars in olive oil...

Er underlined that only 22 tons of olive oil exported to United Kingdom in the 2017-18 season due to high customs duties in return of150 thousand dollars and added, "Upon execution of the Brexit Agreement scenario, we expect the customs duty to be reset in our exports. If this happens, the UK will become a very important market for our olive oil exports since this country imports 65 thousand tons of olive oil worth 285 million dollars."

35 percent increase in table olive export...

"On the other hand," Er noted, "Although olive oil exports of Turkey being too low, table oil exports   increased by 41 percent compared to the previous season from 1,322 tons to 1,870 tons and also increased by 35 percent to 3.6 million dollars, that's why the UK market is the target market for the Turkish olive and olive oil sector."

Mediterranean diet becomes widespread in the UK...

Member of the Board of Directors Levent Bilginoğulları, representing EZZİB in the fair, stated that the consumption of olive and olive oil which has a very important place in the Mediterranean diet is increasing in the UK and that the UK is one of the target markets of the sector and that the British show great interest in Turkish olive and olive oil.

Olive and olive oil tasting...

In order to improve the image of Turkish olive and olive oil, to promote its potential and to increase its international awareness, especially by participating in the Specialty & Fine Food Fair 2019 fair held between 1-3 September 2019 in London, some promotional activities were organized.

Within the scope of the event, Aydın Adnan Menderes University Faculty Member Assoc. Renan Tunalıoğlu made a presentation on Turkish olive and olive oil sector and gave information about the activity performed olive oil tasting, by the way table olives and olive oil were served to Turkish booth visitors during the fair.


Acted with social media phenomena...

Three social media phenomena living in London visited the fair and introduced Turkish olives and olive oil. Master chefs, Steve Walpole of England and Hülya Erdal who lived in England for many years tasted delicious Turkish food made with Turkish olive and olive oil and the phenomena that gained information about the sector shared their ideas about Turkish cuisine.

Tasting at the train station...

On September 3, a stand was set up at the Victoria Place Shopping Mall at Victoria Station, one of London's busiest train stations, to taste olive and olive oil. The Londoners who visited Turkish booth were given various promotional products and provided information about Turkish olives and olive oil.