Grains Lead Growth in Food Exports

Cereals Drive Food Export Growth Exports of cereals, legumes, oilseeds and their products reached USD 4.803 billion in the January-July period of this year, up 18 percent from USD 4.060 billion in the same period of 2020. Exports to Iraq totaled USD 777 million, to Iran USD 156 million and to Germany USD 141 million. Ege Hububat Bakliyat Yağlı Tohumlar ve Mamulleri İhracatçıları Birliği Board Chairman Mustafa Terci said that while demand for food products increased during the pandemic period, Turkey exported USD 19.5 billion worth of food products over the last 12 months. Terci noted that the cereals, legumes, oilseeds and their products sector alone accounts for 41 percent of Turkey's food exports, stating: "The sector's exports from 31 July 2020 to 1 August 2021 reached USD 8.032 billion, representing a 14 percent increase compared to the same period in the previous year.

On an annual basis, this is a record. The cereals sector had achieved USD 7.059 billion in exports in the same period of the previous year."

Pointing out that the sector has a wide range of products from vegetable oils to chocolate products, confectionery items to bakery goods, and cereals to spices, Terci said: "Global demand for food will continue to rise. As Turkey, if we rapidly take steps to heal the wounds of global climate change and increase production, we are positioned to achieve sustainable exports. We are targeting USD 10 billion in exports for 2022." Terci noted that bread, pastries and cakes were the most exported product group within the sector over the 12-month period, with USD 1.105 billion worth of bread, pastries and cakes exported during this time. Terci stated that Turkey earned USD 1.008 billion in foreign currency from wheat flour exports, and noted that pasta exports reached USD 775 million.