HAYRETTİN UÇAK: WE EXPECT TO REGAIN THE RUSSIAN FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES MARKET
Turkish fresh fruit and vegetable exporters want to again be Russia ’s top supplier as the relations between the two countries normalizes. As part of their efforts to achieve this target, the fresh fruit and vegetable sector attended WorldFood Moscow 2019 organized Sept.23-27. A total of 33 Turkish companies attended the major food fair to present their products to Russian importers and consumers. Hayrettin Uçak, chairman of the Aegean Union of Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters, noted that the sector’s exports to Russia totaled 938 million dollars in 2014, before a crisis erupted between the two countries. As of 2018, the total exports to Russia are at 70 percent of the 2014 levels, and their aim is to meet the 2014 numbers, he added. The Russian Federation is Turkey ’s most important exports market, Uçak said, adding that the top exports were tomato, tangerine, lemon, fresh grapes, pomegranates and peaches. “Thirty-three food companies from Turkey ...