FIRST CHERRIES EXPORTED FROM KEMALPAŞA, HEADING FAR EAST...

Press release...

Cherry Producer, exporter and also Kemalpaşa (a district of Izmir province) Municipality Council Member Ahmet Özken  said that they realized the first shipment of cherries in Turkey along with the beginning of cherry season in 2020...


Özken, President of the Kemalpaşa Agriculture Support and Development Association (KEMTAR), said: "Kemalpaşa Bağyurdu-Yiğitler-Ören ​​basin is the land where the first cherries of the Northern hemisphere originated. Turkey with the annual 650,000 tons of cherries production ranks first across the world. By the way our Kemalpaşa, the capital of the agricultural town of cherry grows approximately 12 percent of Turkey's all yield. Despite being the world champion in terms of production, unfortunately we are in third place after US and Chil as an exporter. We, as producers based in these lands, are working to sell our cherries, which we grow all year round, with the aim of selling them in value."

Zafer Özken, General Secretary of KEMTAR, explained that this year they sent early varieties of cherries called 'Burlent and Early Bearly' to Far East by air cargo as the first cherries of both north hemisphere and Turkey. The worldwide threat of Covid-19 viruses has negatively affected many industries. However, it is evident that this calamity has led us to feel the importance of agriculture and land much more. With the motto of 'If there is agriculture, there is life', we collect the products we grow in accordance with all hygiene and health rules in our gardens and deliver them to consumers and overseas buyers. The mask, gloves and visors of our agricultural workers working in all gardens and plants have been provided and our cherries that have been meticulously collected are shipped."


On the other hand, Industrial Engineer Dr. Ayşe Özken, having been as a manager in many international firms and presently works in the family business, while emphasing 'Good Agricultural Practices' stated, "In agriculture, especially the labour and power of women are very significant. Our aim is to sell the products of our veteran producers and farmer brothers to the market at the value they deserve and then deliver the famous cherries of Kemalpaşa to world shelves. We know that the economic problems we are experiencing are the only solution to give the value it deserves to agriculture and to increase the export of value-added products and we are working in this direction."