EİB Races Toward $10 Billion in Exports

EIB Targeting USD 10 Billion in Exports Ege İhracatçı Birlikleri has added another link to its success chain by increasing agricultural product exports to USD 7.098 billion over the past 12 months. Aegean agricultural exporters are advancing steadily toward the USD 10 billion target. While Turkey conducted USD 34.5 billion in exports over the past 12 months, Aegean exporters accounted for 21% of Turkey's agricultural products exports. Of the seven agricultural unions operating under the Ege İhracatçı Birlikleri umbrella, six succeeded in increasing their exports over the past 12 months, while the Ege Dry Fruit and Products Exporters Union maintained its export figures.

Aquatic products and animal products lead exports

The Ege Aquatic Products and Animal Products Exporters Union, which accounts for 40% of Turkey's exports in the aquatic and animal products sector, maintained its export leadership among agricultural sectors under the EIB umbrella with USD 1.625 billion in exports.

Target set at USD 1.5 billion for fresh fruit, vegetable and products

The Ege Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters Union (EYMSİB), which is Turkey's leader in fruit, vegetable and product exports, increased its exports by 7% from USD 1.216 billion to USD 1.296 billion. In the first quarter of 2023, EYMSİB increased its exports by 36% from USD 272 million to USD 322 million. By maintaining this pace, EYMSİB is targeting USD 1.5 billion in foreign currency earnings for Turkey by the end of 2023. Another union under Ege İhracatçı Birlikleri that exceeded the USD 1 billion threshold in the agricultural sector is the Ege Cereals, Legumes, Oilseeds and Products Exporters Union. Aegean cereals, legumes and oilseeds exporters, which achieved a 41% increase in exports over the past year, surged from USD 765 million to USD 1.081 billion. The Ege Tobacco Exporters Union, which brings together all tobacco exporters in Turkey, increased its exports by 10% from USD 798 million to USD 877 million over the past 12 months. The Ege Furniture, Paper and Forest Products Exporters Union, which is Turkey's leader in non-wood forest product exports including thyme and laurel, in which Turkey is a world leader, achieved USD 871 million in export performance. EMKOIB is targeting to exceed the USD 1 billion threshold by the end of 2023. The Ege Dry Fruit and Products Exporters Union, which dominates seedless raisins, dried figs and dried apricots exports and holds the leading position in Turkey's dried fruit exports, recorded USD 870 million in exports while maintaining the previous year's export figures.

Olive and olive oil exports racing toward USD 1 billion

The Ege Olive and Olive Oil Exporters Union is writing a new success story each month in converting the high harvest of the 2022-2023 season into foreign currency. In the first quarter of 2023, EZZİB increased its exports by 215% from USD 75 million to USD 238 million, and over the past 12 months increased its exports by 121% from USD 225 million to USD 498 million. Turkey's olive and olive oil sector reached USD 675 million in exports. The target for olive and table olive exports by the end of 2023 is set to exceed USD 1 billion.

"Agriculture-Based Specialised Industrial Zones will drive USD 10 billion in exports"

Ege İhracatçı Birlikleri Coordinator Chairman Jak Eskinazi, stating that they are the world's largest suppliers in the aquatic products, olive and olive oil, fruit and vegetable products, dried fruit, tobacco, non-wood forest products and oilseeds sectors, said that with the four agriculture-based specialised industrial zones being established in Izmir, they will gain momentum in the greenhouse, medicinal and aromatic plants and ornamental plants and dairy products sectors. Through these specialised zones, he expressed the view that the Aegean Region's agricultural product exports will reach the USD 10 billion target in the coming three-year period.

"Producer-exporter cooperation brings success"

Ege İhracatçı Birlikleri Coordinator Vice Chairman and Ege Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters Union Chairman Hayrettin Uçak, noting that all agricultural sectors within EIB maintain intensive cooperation with farmers, stated that this cooperation brings success in exports and that this cooperation underlies increasing the Aegean Region's exports by over USD 1 billion over the past 12 months. Uçak added that they are targeting USD 1.5 billion in fresh fruit and vegetable exports by the end of 2023 by maintaining the 18% growth rate they achieved in the first quarter of 2023.

"Export success in agricultural products is an indicator of sustainability"

Ege İhracatçı Birlikleri Organic and Sustainability Coordinator and Ege Dry Fruit and Products Exporters Union Chairman Mehmet Ali Işık, emphasizing that the key to export success in the agricultural sector is producing residue-free output in line with the demands of buying countries and chain retailers, said that the success the Aegean Region has achieved in agricultural product exports is based on sustainability-focused production. He noted that to ensure the success in this area is permanent, they maintain strong communication with exporters, universities, producers, government, inspection bodies, research institutes and all links in the chain, and that they are working to take export success even further.

"We will continue to meet the world's protein needs"

Ege Aquatic Products and Animal Products Exporters Union Chairman Bedri Girit, providing information that they meet the world's protein needs with aquatic products, poultry meat, eggs, dairy products, honey and other products, stated that in 2022 they were the export leaders in the agricultural sector in the Aegean Region with USD 1.6 billion in exports. He noted that in 2023 they have set their roadmap to increase their exports to USD 1.83 billion, and that they will continue to meet the world's protein needs through promotion via fairs, trade delegations and TURQUALITY projects.