Türkiye gears up to launch oyster farming

ANKARA

The Agriculture and Forestry Ministry has initiated efforts to introduce oyster farming in Türkiye, aiming to claim a significant stake in the global aquaculture market, minister İbrahim Yumaklı has announced.

In a written statement on Oct. 9, Yumaklı said that oyster farming, which boasts a global production of 6 million tons, has a market worth around $9 billion, adding that his ministry held talks on the policies required to foster bivalve farming within the nation's borders.

Within the scope of the newly launched initiatives, more than 10 oyster production farms will be established across Türkiye within the span of five years, with an anticipated production of 5,000 to 10,000 tons.

The minister noted that the revenue generated from this production could approach $100 million.

Reminding that the cultivation of mussels, another bivalve species that does not consume freshwater and naturally purifies seawater, began in Türkiye in 2015, Yumaklı said the country is currently achieving an annual production rate of 5,500 tons.

Yumaklı pointed out that oysters are another product that has an important place in the world aquaculture market, adding that this product, which does not consume fresh water, can also be cultivated without feed.

"We are planning to initiate oyster farming, particularly in regions deemed suitable, based on a comprehensive assessment of sectoral demand. This strategic move is poised to herald the ecological restoration of oysters, which naturally inhabit the Marmara and Black Sea but are currently perilously endangered."

"In alignment with the significant strides we have made in the export, particularly with fish, our overarching objective is to enhance our nation's revenue streams by further developing aquaculture in the broader spectrum of seafood products."

Yumaklı noted that in the global oyster farming landscape, France takes center stage, alongside notable players such as Spain, China, Australia and New Zealand.

Providing information on mussel farming, Yumaklı conveyed that Türkiye has made impressive strides in this domain, accentuating that the ministry extends financial support in the form of subsidies to bolster mussel cultivation endeavors.

"We have successfully reached an impressive 50,000-ton capacity in mussel farming across the provinces of Sinop, Bursa, Yalova, Balıkesir, İzmir, Muğla, and Çanakkale. We remain unwavering in our determination to leverage this existing capacity and elevate our production volumes to even greater heights."