Bursa has Kate Middleton to thank for record fig exports

BURSA – Anadolu Agency

Britain's Prince William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, hold their new-born baby in this July 23, 2013, file photo as they pose for the media outside St. Mary's Hospital's exclusive Lindo Wing in London. AP photo

Bursa’s sweet and voluptuous figs, branded the Duchess of Cambridge’s miracle remedy for a reportedly chronic morning sickness during her pregnancy, has felt the positive effect of the publicity by increasing its exports considerably compared to last year.
 
Producers said income from the sale of the produce has reached a “historical record” – passing well above the $32 million bar – while they expressed gratitude for the promotion given by Kate Middleton’s entourage for the fruit which is not only delicious, but also rich in vitamins.
 
Sales to the English market have jumped over 53 percent, in parallel with a Daily Mail report that said that the duchess turned to Bursa’s miracle fruit after trying endless ways to lessen the nausea of her pregnancy, including lavender biscuits and even hypnosis.
 
Other Commonwealth countries have followed, including New Zealand. Sales to countries such as Israel, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Jordan and United Arab Emirates have also doubled.
 
The fruit has accounted for an 18 percent share of Turkey’s total exports of fruits and vegetables, converting itself into the flag-bearer of Turkish agriculture.
 
It remains unknown if the duchess is continuing her strict diet of leafy vegetables rich in folic acid such as Brussels sprouts, or is back to her beloved comfort food after giving birth.
 
But one thing is certain, she became a Bursa figs spokesperson so much so that producers couldn’t have asked for anyone better, even in their wildest dreams.