Turkey is closer exporting apples to Thailand for the first time with Thai authorities visiting production areas in Turkey.
According to a release from the Aegean Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters Association (EIB) on 13 May, quarantine officials from Thailand’s Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives were satisfied with what they saw.
Hayrettin Uçak, president of EIB, said after the country’s success in gaining access to China, Taiwan and Korea for its cherries, Thailand would provide a great opportunity for its apple industry.
Uçak said exporters are still waiting for Thailand’s Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives to provide requirements for transportation, packaging systems and a numbe of other areas but they are eagerly anticipating access to the market.
“It is a preferable market as Thailand’s imported apple unit price is high. It also imports 150,000 tonnes of apples annually,” said Uçak.
Aside from Thailand, Uçak said the Turkish apple industry is working to expand its presence in other Asian markets such as China, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore.
The coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic has paused current efforts but post-pandemic he said work to reach these markets will continue.
