Türkiye aims for $1 billion in food exports to Japan

ISTANBUL

The Turkish food industry aims to increase its exports to the large Japanese market to $1 billion in the medium term.

Turkish companies attended the 50th edition of the International Food and Beverage Exhibition (Foodex) held between March 5 and 8 in the Japanese capital.

Turkish food firms made good business connections during Foodex, which improved the prospects of boosting exports to the Japanese market to $1 billion, said Ali Işık, the head of the Aegean Dried Fruit Products Exporters’ Association.

He noted that the number of companies attending the trade fair in Japan increased from 39 to 51 this year, displaying a wider range of products at Foodex.

Türkiye’s food exports to Japan increased by 42 percent in the first two months of 2024 compared to the same period of last year, from $69 million to $98 million.

“It took some 30 years to reach the point where we are now in the Japanese market. But our growth in this market will gather a much faster pace in the years to come,” Işık said.

Türkiye exports a wide range of products to Japan, including pasta, seedless raisins, fish, olive oil, fruits and vegetables, according to Işık.

“We will be in a position to export food products worth $1 billion in the medium term,” he said.

Fisheries and animal products shipments to Japan took the lead with $49 million in the January-February period. Revenues from cereals, pulses and oil seeds exports to Japan amounted to $18 million.

The export of dried fruit products to Japan leaped 114 percent to $11.2 million.

Türkiye’s total exports to Japan stood at $146 million in the first two months of 2024, rising 20 percent from a year ago, with food exports accounting for 67 percent of all exports.