Blueberry production in Türkiye faces economic challenges to reach its full potential

The blueberry industry in Turkey is expanding, with a significant increase in new plantations, which have exceeded 1,000 hectares in the last four years. The profitability of the business has sparked great interest among various farmers and investors in the country. However, Turgut Aysan, president of the Board of Directors of Turkish producer Safir Berry, told Portalfruticola.com that growth is slow due to high inflation and interest rates and the country's low exchange rates. "Unfortunately, due to low exchange rates, Turkish producers and exporters have difficulty offering competitive prices to overseas customers," Aysan said. The industry anticipates a harvest of between 7,500 to 10,000 tons of blueberries this season. The main markets for the Turkish fruit are the Middle East, the Gulf countries, Hong Kong and Russia, through air transport. "Although the local market is increasing rapidly, we have to find creative ways to export Turkish blueberries abroad," Aysan said. He ...