TURKISH AGRI.NEWS

While the coronavirus epidemic grounded millions of people to their homes, pasta was one of the most purchased food products in the markets. Pasta Industrialists Association of Turkey (TMSD) Chairman Abdülkadir Külahçıoğlu, drew attention to the big jump in sales of pasta. Domestic sales folded in three, exports delayed... Külahçıoğlu stated that sales of TMSD members surged 300 percent as of March 11 on which pandemic was officially announced.        Pointing out that the annual production capacity of 3 million tons in Turkey, Külahçıoğlu said, "We sold 700 thousand tons to domestic market and 1 million 200 thousand tons abroad last year. In this framework Turkey is the second largest pasta exporter in the world with 600 million dollars of exports." Külahçıoğlu also noted that Turkey, in order to be able to meet the growing domestic demand, has postponed the exports for three months. Indicating that the annual pasta consumption per capita in Turkey was...

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 t...

"We import expensive wheat and export pasta for cheap." Chairman of Pasta Producers and Industrialists Association (MÜSAD) Nihat Uysallı said that the export figures in the first six months of 2019 showed despite the increase in the amount of pasta exports, they could not achieve the same increase of income. Uysallı shared the information that Turkey takes the third place in the world as the amount of production and the second place in exports just after Italy, whereas the most important competitor in terms of exports Italy's average export unit price exceeds two folds. Uysallı also emphasized that they have the cheapest price among the countries exporting more than 20 tons in 2018 in the pasta exports which Turkey in the second place after Italy and said: "While Italy exports the tonne of pasta by 1,098 dollars, our average export figure per ton is only 455 dollars. Egypt, which is said to be our rival in the African market, exports pasta for a thousa...