Turkey which has very favorable geographical conditions and climate, with an abundance of large arable land and water resources is considered to be one of the world's leading countries in the field of agriculture and food. The agricultural and food industry employs about 20% of the working population in the country, constituting 6.1% of the country's GDP in 2016. The financial contribution of the sector to GDP has increased by 40% between 2002 and 2016, reaching USD 52.3 billion in 2016.
On the other hand Turkey produces and exports an important quantity of organic food. It was reported by EIB (Aegean Dried Fruits and Products Exporters Union) that Turkey's exports of organic food products in 2017 had increased by 17 percent to USD 87 million as compared to the previous year. Based on data provided by the EIB, Turkey is currently marketing organic food products to 68 countries.
The statement made by EIB includes following information, as well:
"Turkey's organic food product exports in 2017 became USD 87 million with an increase of 17 percent. In terms of quantity sales in the same period reached 21 thousand tons corresponding to an increase of 10 percent. The leading items in terms of exported quantities were seedless raisins, dried figs, nuts and dried apricot exports. Turkish organic industry has a $ 2.5 billion export target for the year 2023.”
On the other hand experts state that actual export figures of the sector is forecasted to be 5 times the recorded quantities, due to missing labeling made in export declarations to specify organic products exported. Based on report provided by IED, Germany took the first place in organic product exports, followed by the USA and France.
Another important data provided on global level is that the organic product market in the world has grown by 500 percent in 15 years.
