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Turkey seeks new markets for fresh produce exports

04 February 2016 19:48 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Turkey is seeking new markets for exports of fresh produce, which took a hit following the dispute with Russia over downed plane, a Turkish Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Union head said Thursday, APA reports quoting Anadolu agency.

During a fair called “Fruit Logistica” in Berlin, Mediterranean Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Union Chief Ali Kavak addressed the issue.

“We declared a state of emergency in the fresh fruit and vegetable sector. We hope to recover our lost market share with Russia from different countries,” he said, adding that time was necessary to realize that goal.

In late November, two Turkish F-16 fighter jets shot down a Russian military plane intruding into Turkish airspace.

After the incident Russia imposed a range of unilateral economic sanctions against Turkey including a ban on food imports.

Serafettin Asut, head of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the southern coastal city of Mersin, said Turkish producers realized the mistake of depending on only one market.

“If we had taken part in other markets strategically, we wouldn’t be going through this today,” he said, adding that Fruit Logistica constituted an opportunity to tackle the crisis

Fruit Logistica is an international food fair for the fruit and vegetable industry hosting up to 2,700 companies and around 65,000 visitors.