Dried Fig Exports Rise 12%

Dried figs ended the 2023/24 season with a 12% increase, generating USD 292 million in export revenues. Turkey had closed the 2022/23 season with USD 259 million in dried fig exports.

Dried fig exports by volume declined 13%, falling from 73,337 tonnes to 63,762 tonnes.

Despite the volume decrease, Turkish exporters raised the average export price of dried figs by 29% in dollar terms, from USD 3,545 to USD 4,580 per tonne, enabling Turkey's foreign exchange earnings to reach USD 292 million in the 2023/24 season, representing a 12% increase.

Mehmet Ali Işık, Sustainability and Organic Products Coordinator at Aegean Exporters Associations and Chairman of the Aegean Dried Fruits and Products Exporters Association, noted that Turkey is the world leader in dried fig production and exports. He emphasized that producers, merchants, universities, government bodies and exporters achieved success in the 2023/24 season through collaborative efforts.

Işık explained that the sector has been working to establish a farm-to-shelf system to avoid problems stemming from aflatoxin and ochratoxin in dried figs. He stated: "To prevent increased inspection frequency in our largest export market, the European Union, we have distributed harvesting trays and sacks to producers for many years. In the 2023/24 season, we procured UV lamps with budget allocation and distributed them to enable inspection by exporting companies purchasing products from producers. We also continued our distribution of sacks to producers. In our Dried Fig Sector Board, all parties in the sector are working to enhance overall quality."

Işık noted that the 2024/25 season for dried figs has begun, and expressed expectations for a harvest similar to the 2023/24 season. He stated that the sector is targeting USD 300 million in dried fig exports.

Distant markets strategy proves effective for dried figs

The distant markets strategy pursued by the Ministry of Trade in recent years to diversify Turkey's export markets has been successfully implemented in dried fig exports.

Mehmet Ali Işık, Sustainability and Organic Products Coordinator at Aegean Exporters Associations and Chairman of the Aegean Dried Fruits and Products Exporters Association, noted that over the past 10 years, the share of the Americas in dried fig exports has risen from 17% to 28%, and during the same period, the share of Far East countries in Turkish dried fig exports has grown from 12% to 15%. He underscored the significant role of TURQUALITY and URGE projects, trade fairs and sectoral trade mission organizations in this success.

Işık shared that in the 2023/24 season, the United States was the leading country in dried fig exports with USD 59.377 million in shipments, and continued: "Our exports to the US in the 2022/23 season were USD 43 million. We achieved a 38% growth rate in exports to the US. France ranked second with USD 33 million, and Germany third with USD 32 million. We exported USD 14.6 million in dried figs to Canada, USD 13.6 million to Italy, and USD 13.2 million to Japan. In the 2023/24 season, we exported dried figs to 107 countries."