'Unpopular' Turkish goods scoring export success

ANKARA - Hürriyet

Despite being unpopular at home, some Turkish products are netting a windfall overseas. AA photo

Turkey last year earned $306 million from the sale of products that are not widely consumed domestically, according to data from the Forestry and Water Affairs Ministry.

The exports of the products, such as snails, capers and frogs' legs, made around $42.44 million, while exports of other products under the category “non-wood products” amounted to $306.1 million in 2012.

Officials at the ministry said Turkey had assumed a considerable place in the world market with around 4,500 different kinds of medical and aromatic plants.

“Turkey provides 90 percent of the laurel and laurel oil demand, 65 percent of the thyme demand, and 40 percent of pine kernels in the world,” an official said.

The ministry has also started work on crop processing for crude product exports.