TURKISH AGRI.NEWS

Turkey will prioritize investments in food, health and digitalization in the coming period, the country’s trade minister said Friday. The importance of digitalization has been understood once again amid the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan said at the virtual meeting held with the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB). "Investments in the field of digitalization and technology are at least as important as food for both Turkey and the world," Pekcan said. “Investments we will be making in food, health and digitalization will be the priority in the coming period,” the trade minister added. Pekcan also said the ministry has initiated virtual trade platforms and digital marketing methods such as virtual trade delegations, fairs and e-marketplaces amid the coronavirus pandemic. "We will start with the chemical industry, then we will carry out our trade delegations with the U.S., Mexico, Poland in the non-ferro...

Turkey recorded a nearly 5% growth in agricultural exports in March due to the global increase in food demand. However, the country’s overall exports suffered a more than 17% drop as the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic becomes increasingly clear. According to figures released by the Turkish Exporters’ Assembly (TİM) on Saturday, Turkey’s total exports declined 17.8% year-on-year to $13.42 billion (TL 90.3 billion) in March. Compared to the widespread decline in exports across key sectors, agricultural exports performed well with 4.5% growth, reaching $2.38 billion. Industrial exports, in the meantime, dropped by a whopping 20.5% to $10.47 billion, the latest data showed. Hazelnut exports recorded the largest growth, at more than double compared to last March, hitting $208.8 million. Fruit and vegetable products exports also saw a 26.9% increase, raking in $162.4 million for the Turkish economy. Meanwhile, dried legume and cereal exports grew by 7.9%, and tobacco and dried ...

Turkish olive and olive oil exporters, to reach the export target of 1.5 billion dollars, asked for support from Minister of Trade Ruhsar Pekcan to increase the state supports a 100 percent given by the Ministry of Trade. Davut Er, Chairman of the Board of Aegean Olive and Olive Oil Exporters Association (EZZİB), who visited the Minister of Treade Ruhsar Pekcan, wanted to increase the support given by the Ministry of Trade to Turkish olives and olive oil, which are branded in packages. Er demanded that supports given to 1-2 kg of packed olives and olive oil also be given to 1-3 kg of packed olives and olive oil. Asked supports for producers as well... EZZİB Chairman Davut Er called for help from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in order to raise the premium of 0.80 lira/kg for olive oil to 2.5 liras and also 0.50 lira/kg support for table olives not given for the present. Minister of Trade is the captain of our export ship... Pointing out that Minister of trade Ruhs...

Embarking on a quest for sustainable exports, Turkey has now launched an approach that includes the unleashing of long-term export potential and puts forward a sustainable strategy that will help the country multiply its exports. As part of the Export Master Plan, which was prepared as a result of meticulous efforts carried out by the Trade Ministry in close cooperation with relevant stakeholders, Turkey aims to extend the positive performance in foreign sales to coming years and develop, increase the volume, tech composition and value-added of the exports. As part of the new road map, it has selected 17 target countries to where it aims to double its exports, and five target sectors, said Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan at the announcement ceremony for the plan in Istanbul Thursday. "These countries include the U.S., Brazil, China, Ethiopia, Morocco, South Africa, South Korea, India, Iraq, the U.K., Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Uzbekistan, Russia and Chile," Pekcan said....

Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan said that long term negotiations on trade in agricultural products with China have begun to bear its fruits... "25 tons of cherries for the first time from Turkey to China of which 20 tons to Guangzhou, 5 tons reached Shanghai. Hopefully fruits, vegetables, fish and dairy products will be following this product" Minister Pekcan said. She came to Beijing on the occasion of Organization of EXPO 2019, answering questions of AA correspondent, she also stated that they often met with Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Hiroshige Seko at Davos, Paris, OECD meetings and G-20 Trade Ministers meetings and signed the Free Trade Agreement with this country during this year. Pekcan, underlining that both sides are very keen on this issue, concluded: "The trade volume of Japan about 750 billion dollars, it also consists of 73 billion dollars just food and agricultural imports. Turkey needs such a large market. But there are some sensit...