TURKISH PASTA EXPORTS REACH NEARLY 1300 THOUSAND TONS TO 153 COUNTRIES...

Chairman of Turkey Pasta Industrialists Association Abdülkadir Külahçıoğlu said that the industry had a successful season last year.

Külahçıoğlu, noting that pasta exports from Turkey to 153 countries, said, "We are in a position competitive in terms of quality. At the same time durum wheat grown in our country, world-class and very good quality. We evaluated the advantages of our industry and have become almost sells pasta to all countries."

Külahçıoğlu, referring to the export figures, expressed, "Our pasta exports increased by 5.5 percent in terms of quantity compared to the previous year and reached 1 million 272 thousand 928 tons. We aim to export at least 1 million 300 thousand tons by repeating the achievements we have achieved in the previous periods in 2020."

"We anticipate that there will be a good harvest in wheat"

Emphasizing the importance of the raw material in sales success, Külahçıoğlu continued as follows:

"We anticipate that there will be a good harvest in wheat. We see that this is enough in the controls we have done in the planting area so far. We expect that the yield will be high as the rains go well. Therefore, we expect 2020 to be a good year for our sector. It is important to explain the supports before harvest. We demand that the price be explained at a level that will meet the costs of the farmer and compete with the world markets because the planting areas in our country will increase as our farmer wins. We always support our farmer to sell their products with the correct numbers."

Külahçıoğlu added that there is more than enough production of durum wheat for pasta produced in Turkey.

Second place despite the quota barrier...

Turkey, despite the amount of quota imposed by European Union (EU), holds the 2nd position in the world as a pasta exporter, Külahçıoğlu concluded:

"We put forward the issue of quota barriers on every platform. These quotas are one of the important  obstacles imposed by the EU to Turkish pasta industry. Unfortunately, the sector has the right to make export 20 thousand tons annually to the European countries. We are doing our attempts at ministerial level."

Külahçıoğlu also emphasized that the pasta sector employs 35 thousand people and added that they are constantly working on increasing their employment and technology capacities.