Despite the challenges of the epidemic, Turkey's fresh fruit and vegetable exports saw a 20.8% increase in 2020, reaching $2.7 billion, and the sector was the second highest in export growth. The head of the Istanbul Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters Association, Melisa Tokgöz Mutlu, credited the reliable and sustainable products, strategic location, early epidemic measures, and rapid decisions by ministries for the sector's resilience. The top five exported products were tomatoes, cherries, mandarins, satsumas, and pomegranates, with Russia, Germany, Ukraine, Iraq, and Romania as the main importers. The association expects a continued increase in demand for sustainable and reliable production and sees opportunities for growth in emerging markets like South Korea, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Slovenia.