The Turkish dried fruit and nut sector, which grew by more than 10 percent amid the global financial crisis last year, may perform even better this year as more companies branch out into "lucrative" export markets such as the Balkans, Central Asia and the Middle East.

Maintaining confidence in a flourishing domestic market, which has recently enjoyed a remarkable increase in demand, representatives of the dried fruit and nut industry believe there is potential in new export markets. Companies and producers agree that effective promotion and increased product quality helped them survive the crisis last year and that these will be the major driving forces behind this industry being successful in new export markets this year.

"Thanks to increased promotions, the popularity of dried fruits and nuts is increasing in the market and so is the demand. Encouraged by this fact, companies have accelerated efforts to branch out into some alternative export markets," Hasan Hüseyin Karapýnar, the head of the Turkish Dried Fruit and Nut Industrialists and Businessmen’s Association (TÜKSÝAD), tells Today’s Zaman. Recalling that Turkish dried fruit and nut producers mostly export their products to European Union countries, which he identifies as "ethno-marketing hubs" with a relatively higher Turkish immigrant population, Karapýnar says the sector has recently begun to reach out to new export markets, including Turkic republics in Central Asia and countries in the Middle East. The TÜKSÝAD head says the sector makes some $500 million in exports annually and has the ability to double this number in the coming years. Karapýnar also adds Africa and China to the list of regions where Turkish dried fruit and nut exporters should begin to market their goods. Karapýnar says Turkey is relatively successful in dried fruit and nut exports thanks to popular products such as hazelnuts, dried apricots and figs.

Todays Zaman