Dairy Products Sector Sets Export Target

Export Target from Dairy Products Sector From the day humanity came into being, sustained by mother's milk, mankind has been meeting its protein, calcium, vitamin and mineral needs from milk and dairy products for thousands of years. The Turkish dairy products sector is converting humanity's milk and dairy product needs into foreign currency. The Turkish dairy products sector, which earned Turkey USD 438 million in foreign currency with a 47% increase in 2021, raised its exports to USD 300 million with a 95% increase in the first 5 months of 2022. The sector is targeting USD 1 billion in exports in 2023. Bedri Girit, Chairman of the Board of the Aegean Aquatic Products and Animal Products Exporters Association, stated that Turkey is accelerating in dairy products exports, emphasizing that the sector achieved USD 580 million in exports over the last 12 months. Speaking about meeting humanity's protein, calcium, vitamin and mineral needs three times a day from milk and dairy products, Girit said: "Those who drink milk stay healthy and are protected from diseases. We produce milk and dairy products as healthy as mother's milk and export them to the entire world. Our dairy products sector has accelerated exports. Our dairy products sector's exports over the last 12 months reached USD 581 million. Our aquatic products and poultry sectors bring Turkey over USD 1 billion each in foreign currency. In 2023, we aim for our dairy products sector to be among the sectors bringing our country over USD 1 billion in foreign currency."

Milk powder, cream and cheese among leading export products

Melih İşliel, Vice Chairman of the Board of the Aegean Aquatic Products and Animal Products Exporters Association, stated that milk powder and cream was the most exported product with USD 193 million out of Turkey's USD 438 million in dairy products exports in 2021. İşliel reported that the dairy products sector exported USD 143 million worth of cheese and whey cheese, earned USD 81 million from whey, and USD 16 million from fat exports.

Egypt, Iraq and Algeria lead in export destinations

Providing information about the leading countries in Turkey's dairy products exports, İşliel shared that Egypt ranked first in dairy products exports in 2021 with USD 69 million, followed by Iraq with USD 60.5 million and Algeria with USD 57.4 million in exports. China, which obtained export clearance from the Turkish dairy products sector in the second half of 2020, entered the list in 4th place by importing USD 52.8 million worth of Turkish dairy products in 2021. These countries were followed by the United Arab Emirates with USD 24 million in exports, Bangladesh with USD 23 million, Kuwait with USD 14.4 million, Jordan with USD 9 million, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus with USD 8.4 million and Azerbaijan with USD 8.2 million.