Fruit juice exports reach 574 million dollars

The fruit juice sector exceeded its 500 million dollar export target for 2024 by 74 million dollars. The fruit juice sector remained the leader among sub-sectors in Turkey's fruit and vegetable product exports in 2024.

Turkey's fruit juice exports reached 574 million dollars in 2024, a 27 percent increase from 452 million dollars.

While the fruit and vegetable products sector achieved 2 billion 728 million dollars in exports in 2024, the fruit juice sector, the export champion of the fruit and vegetable products industry, accounted for 21 percent of fruit and vegetable product exports on its own. The fruit juice sector had accounted for 18 percent of fruit and vegetable product exports in 2023.

Stating that the fruit juice sector is moving with confident steps toward its 1 billion dollar export target for 2028, Hayrettin Uçak, Coordinator Vice President of the Aegean Exporters' Associations and President of the Aegean Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters' Association, emphasized that Turkey succeeded in exporting fruit juice to 154 countries and customs regions in 2024.

Providing information that fruit production in Turkey is 30 million tons, Uçak underlined that 10 percent of annual fruit production is processed by the fruit juice industry and converted into added value, and that Turkey's fruit juice exports increased by 14 percent in terms of quantity, rising from 227 thousand tons to 259 thousand tons.

APPLE JUICE CONCENTRATE IS THE EXPORT LEADER

Stating that there is a consumption pattern in the domestic market in Turkey weighted toward peach, apricot, sour cherry, and orange juices, President Uçak said, "A large portion of Turkey's concentrate (semi-finished product) exports, amounting to 303 million dollars, comes from apple juice concentrate. Apple juice concentrate accounts for 53 percent of total exports. While orange juice reached 16 million dollars, grape juice, tropical fruit juices, pomegranate, and black carrot concentrate are among Turkey's products with very high competitive power."

Noting that per capita consumption of fruit juice in Europe is around 20 kg, Uçak continued: "Fruit juice consumption in Turkey is at the level of 10 kg. Our fruit juice sector has growth potential in both exports and the domestic market. We anticipate that Turkey's foreign exchange earnings from fruit juice exports will reach 1 billion dollars in 2028."

Pointing out that the diversity of fruit production in Turkey creates a foundation for fruit juice investments, President Uçak added that the fruit juice sector will continue to maintain and improve its export championship in the fruit and vegetable products sector in the coming years.

USA, NETHERLANDS, AND ITALY ARE THE TOP THREE COUNTRIES

While Turkey exported 574 million dollars worth of fruit juice in 2024, the country to which it exported the most fruit juice was the United States with 243 million dollars. The USA, which demanded 196 million dollars worth of Turkish fruit juice in 2023, increased its demand by 24 percent in 2024.

The second country in fruit juice exports was the Netherlands, which rose from 36.5 million dollars to 67.6 million dollars with an 85 percent increase in exports. Italy took the third place on the podium with 26.5 million dollars.