Türkiye’s cereals, pulses, oilseeds and products sector exported 5,290,036 tons of goods to 212 countries and free zones from January through June. These sales generated $5.847514 billion in revenue.
The sector’s top export product was sunflower seeds, worth $663.938 million. Chocolate and cocoa products ranked second, with exports worth $500.781 million.
Quality and coordinated efforts drive chocolate exports
Mehmet Yıldırım, chairman of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce’s Professional Committee for Baklava, Pastry and Confectionery Products, attributed the export performance to producers’ efforts to raise quality standards. Yıldırım said production, processing and sales processes for confectionery and cocoa-based products had been developed together.
Yıldırım said producers processed cocoa into chocolate and confectionery products, while coordinated efforts also contributed to the rise in exports. He said İHBİR’s work to bring producers together and take them to trade fairs abroad had strengthened the sector’s international visibility.
Most production is based in Istanbul
Yıldırım said 95% of companies exporting cocoa-based products were based in Istanbul, while businesses producing in Gaziantep and Adana were also active in the sector. He said Türkiye had reached a certain level of quality in cocoa-based products and that production standards and marketing needed to be pursued together to build brands.
Yıldırım said the availability of raw materials played an important role in the production and sale of products such as Dubai chocolate in Türkiye. He added that the abundant supply and high quality of Antep pistachios and kadayıf in Türkiye were reflected in the products’ quality and sales.
Yıldırım said cocoa was processed in Türkiye and turned into various products, adding that Turkish producers stood out through their quality, participation in international trade fairs and marketing efforts. He said higher production could increase capacity and employment, while also boosting export revenues and added value.
Türkiye targets a strong Turkish chocolate brand
Yıldırım said Turkish producers had made significant progress in packaging, packing and production in recent years. He said examining product and packaging examples from different countries helped companies adapt to changing consumer expectations.
Yıldırım emphasized that gastronomic tourism had gained importance worldwide and said visitors traveled long distances to taste particular flavors. He said Türkiye could become known for chocolate and cocoa-based products after baklava and kebab, but that sales and quality momentum needed to be sustained to change established perceptions of countries.
Yıldırım said the “Turkish chocolate” brand could become established worldwide if Türkiye built on and sustained its current export success. He added that domestic sales of baklava and chocolate were expected to increase further from October.
