Record-Breaking Year for Turkish Apple Exports with India as the New Top Market

Published Nov 8, 2021

In the January-September period of 2021, Turkey’s apple exports have increased by 65% from USD 78 million to USD 129 million, driven by a 161% increase in exports to India. Over the same period, apple juice exports have also had a substantial increase of 62% from USD 86 million to USD 139 million. The increase in exports is mainly due to continuous growth in apple production, which has placed Turkey as the third-largest global apple producer and to an increase in global apple demand for consuming healthier fruits. However, for Turkish apples this year, the growth in the Indian market has been essential, as India is now the new leading destination.

India has risen as the major importer of Turkish apples surpassing Russia in the first nine months of 2021. Turkey has also increased both fresh and processed apples in juice, its export to historical numbers. According to data from Aegean Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters' Association in Turkey, fresh apple exports have increased by 65% from the same period last year, and apple juice by 62%.

More Markets More Apples

In 2020, Russia was the largest buyer with 26.3% of the global export share, followed by India with 24.9%. For the nine-month 2021 period, exports to India accounted for 32.3% of the Turkish export share. Exports of Turkish apples have had continuous growth in the last five years, except in 2019 when exports had a 3% decrease due to the pandemic. In 2020, exports of fresh apples accounted for USD 111 million in value, reaching an all-time high. This export value has already been surpassed within the first nine months of 2021, when the value reached USD 129 million.

Source: ITC Trade Map, Tridge

The first and oldest market for Turkish apples is the Iraqi market, which has constantly supplied and is still today the third-largest market. However, apple exports in Turkey have increased in recent years mainly due to the introduction of two major import markets. The first one is the Russian market, which since 2014 has allowed access to Turkish apples and since 2018 become their most prominent market, surpassing Iraq. The second one is the Indian market, which has gradually allowed access to Turkish apples in 2015, and for which in 2018 India was the second-largest market to Turkey, which according to the Aegean Association data, it has become the most important market this year.

Challenging Access to the Indian Market

In the January-September period of 2021, apple exports increased from USD 78 million to USD 129 million, a 65% increase in value. Over this same period, apple exports to India rose from USD 16 million to USD 41.7 million, a 161% increase. With the increase, India has become the largest destination for Turkish apples accounting for 32.3% of the Turkish export share, leaving Russia in second place with 24.8% of the share and Iraq as third at 10%. However, the Indian market hasn’t always been easy to access Turkish apples due to the phytosanitary protocol adjustments. Over the last year, the Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) certificates requirements by the Indian government have put Turkish exports in danger.

According to Besim Donmez, Tridge’s representative in Turkey, the new regulation imposed this year by the Indian government affected Turkish exporters at the end of last season. However, this year, suppliers seem to be coping with this new regulation from India by acquiring official statements issued by regional offices of the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture, certifying all apple shipments are free of GMO products.

Source: ITC Trade Map, Tridge

For the 2020/21 season, India bought a record volume of apples from Turkey, reaching 68,000 tons. However, India has traditionally been one of the key markets for apple sales in the US. The US is the leading supplier to India, which has made the Indian market a tough market to compete. Despite this, Turkey has managed since last year to be positioned as the second-largest supplier of apples to India with 13.8% of the import share, following the US that accounts for 20.3%.

Positive Outlook for the rest of the 2021/22 season

Although the numbers for the first nine months are highly optimistic, the Turkish apple export season is still in full swing and is expected to remain like that until the end of February next year, which means that exports volume will remain to reach high volumes in different markets. Furthermore, the increase in apple production, which for this 2021/22 season has reached 4.3 MT, has positioned Turkey as an apple supplier to go to when apple production in the EU has been in the downward trend for the last couple of years.

According to Kankana Ghosh, Tridge’s representative in India, the country is ready to import more Turkish apples starting November. Mr. Gosh has reported that “Indian Importers are all set to Import Turkish Royal Galas followed by the Red delicious for arrival in Mid November to the end of March.” He also mentioned that the expected volume for November would be estimated at 200 containers, and the expected price is between USD 17.50- 21.00 per KG.

The export volume that will be sent to other markets for the rest of the season will also be essential for the performance of apple exports. According to the Aegean Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters' Association, the goal is to exceed USD 200 million in export value by 2022 and increase the markets where Turkish apples are exported. Besides India and Russia, the most important markets for Turkish apples are the Middle East, where Turkey directly competes with EU-producing countries. Another new market in Malaysia, in which last season’s exports grew by 66% and is a traditional market for Ukraine with plenty of potential for Turkey.

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