Turkey is a major exporter of food products, including fresh fruits and vegetables, dried fruits and nuts, olive oil, honey, and various processed foods such as canned goods, sauces, and pastas. Some of the most popular food products exported from Turkey include:
Olives and olive oil
Dried apricots, figs, and raisins
Hazelnuts and pistachios
Pomegranate molasses and other fruit preserves
Honey and bee products
Processed foods such as canned tomatoes, sauces, and pastas
Dairy products such as yogurt, feta cheese, and halloumi
Meat and poultry products such as lamb and chicken
To export food products from Turkey, companies should comply with the regulations of the country where the products will be imported. They must comply with the sanitary and phytosanitary requirements of the importing country and must be certified by the relevant Turkish authorities and international organizations.
Turkey is the world’s 7th largest agricultural producer overall, and is the world leader in the production of dried figs, hazelnuts, sultanas/raisins, and dried apricots. The country is also one of the leading honey producers in the world. Turkey boasted production of 18.6 million tons of milk in 2015, making it the leading milk and dairy producer in its region. The country also saw production totals of 38.6 million tons of cereal crops, 28.5 million tons of vegetables, 17.5 million tons of fruit, 2 million tons of poultry, and 1.1 million tons of red meat. In addition, Turkey has an estimated total of 11,000 plant species, whereas the total number of species in Europe is 11,500.
This bountiful production allows Turkey to maintain a significantly positive trade balance thanks to its position as one of the largest exporters of agricultural products in the Eastern Europe, Middle East, and North Africa (EMENA) region. Globally, Turkey exported 1,781 kinds of agricultural products to 190 countries in 2015, accounting for an export volume of USD 16.8 billion.