The exports of floricultural products in Turkey has surpassed the imports in 2017. The exports increased from 81.6 million USD to 85.5 million USD whereas imports declined from 87.2 million USD to 83 million USD.
The President of Turkish Growers Association Ahmet Dundar: “The most exports were in indoor plants, trees, seedlings and young plants. We are hoping that the exports will continue to rise due to increased level of standardization across the industry. As the production quality has improved, we have started to export to European countries as well in addition to Turkıc countries, North Africa and Middle East. The exports of cut flowers also has risen by 4 % from 27.7 million USD to 28.8 million USD. We are organizing business trips to explore new markets and to develop new business relationships. In February, we have visited Qatar, which will host EXPO in 2021 and the World Cup in 2022. This trip was very productive and Qatar is willing to bring products from our own country. Our exploration of other markets will continue at full speed.
There are two main clusters of growers in Turkey. One cluster is in Antalya, on the southwest of Turkey and the other one is in Yalova, on the northwestern part of Turkey. In order to understand the current status of growers in those two regions, we have carried out activities and conducted surveys to prepare reports. In the upcoming days, we will have a similar project in Sakarya, a city with a lot of plant and seedling growers. We have also signed agreements with Yalova TOBB Vocational School to ensure that the companies in the sector can find qualified personnel for their operations. We will be assisting graduates in their employment within the industry.”
Source: Dunya