Despite the disruptions in economic activity following the earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş, the agricultural sector continues to break records in exports.

The Turkish agricultural sector realized the highest January-February exports of all time with 5 billion 434 million dollars. Agricultural exports, which increased by 2.7 percent in the first 2 months of the year compared to the same period of 2022, also received a 16.2 percent share of Türkiye's total exports.

Five of the 10 sectors operating within agriculture broke export records.

Cereals, pulses, oilseeds and products realized the highest January-February exports of all time with 1 billion 820 million dollars, fresh fruits and vegetables 634 million 488 thousand dollars, olive and olive oil 201 million 220 thousand dollars, ornamental plants and products 30 million 146 thousand dollars, furniture, paper and forestry products 1 billion 204 million dollars.

In January-February 2023, compared to the same period last year, cereals, pulses, oil seeds and products increased by 3 percent, fresh fruits and vegetables by 17.9 percent, olives and olive oil by 140.2 percent, ornamental plants and products by 7.2 percent, furniture, paper and forestry products by 2.1 percent.

- Cereals exports to Iraq exceeded 295 million dollars

Looking at the exports of record-breaking sectors by country, in the first 2 months: cereals, pulses, oilseeds and products in total 296 million 749 thousand dollars and also furniture, paper and forestry products 129 million 180 thousand dollars to Iraq; fresh fruits and vegetables to the Russian Federation 173 million 401 thousand dollars; olive and olive oil sector to Spain 67 million 417 thousand dollars; ornamental plants and products to the Netherlands 8 million 182 thousand dollars.

On the basis of provinces, 562 million 714 thousand dollars worth of cereals, pulses, oil seeds and products, 540 million 455 thousand dollars worth of furniture, paper and forestry products were exported from İstanbul.

Fresh fruits and vegetables worth 167 million 872 thousand dollars were exported from Mersin, olive and olive oil worth 93 million 372 thousand dollars from Izmir, ornamental plants and products worth 13 million 666 thousand dollars from Antalya.

- Agricultural exports of 3 provinces affected by the earthquake have increased

Although the earthquake centered in Kahramanmaraş affected the economic activities of 11 provinces, agricultural exports of 3 provinces affected by the earthquake increased.

The exports of companies operating in the agricultural sector in Adana, Adıyaman and Kahramanmaraş increased in the first 2 months of the year compared to the same period of 2022. Accordingly, agricultural exports increased by 10.4 percent in Adana to 153 million 620 thousand dollars, by 25.5 percent in Adıyaman to 2 million 506 thousand dollars, and by 4.8 percent in Kahramanmaraş to 13 million 716 thousand dollars.

According to TIM (Türkiye Exporters Assembly) data, exports of agriculture and agriculture-related sectors this year and in the January-February period of 2022 are as follows:

 

	JANUARY 1ST - FEBRUARY 28TH
SECTORS	2022	2023	Change (2023/2022)	Percent (%)
I. Agriculture	5.292.221	5.434.011	2,7	16,2
A. Plant products	3.496.060	3.713.875	6,2	11,1
Cereals, pulses, oilseeds and products	1.767.383	1.820.528	3,0	5,4
Fresh fruits and vegetables	538.183	634.488	17,9	1,9
Fruit and vegetable products	375.767	342.074	-9,0	1,0
Dried fruits and products	245.794	235.111	-4,3	0,7
Hazelnut and products	347.787	299.393	-13,9	0,9
Olives and olive oil	83.787	201.220	140,2	0,6
Tobacco	109.251	150.914	38,1	0,5
Ornamental plants and products	28.108	30.146	7,2	0,1
B. Animal products	616.497	515.461	-16,4	1,5
Aquaculture and animal products	616.497	515.461	-16,4	1,5
C. Wood and forest products	1.179.663	1.204.675	2,1	3,6
Furniture, paper and forest products	1.179.663	1.204.675	2,1	3,6

Source: Anadolu Ajansı