Turkey meets 80 percent of the world production of thyme, which is among the most demanded medicinal and aromatic products in the world. Spices exports are registered through the Aegean Furniture Paper and Forest Products Exporters' Association and the Aegean Cereals, Pulses, Oilseeds Exporters' Association.
Aegean Exporters' Association, which realizes all of Turkey's thyme exports, discussed its strategies and Turkey's thyme production targets in order to increase its exports to its main market, the USA.
Ali Fuat Gürle, President of Aegean Furniture Paper and Forest Products Exporters' Association, said that Turkey exported spices worth 2022 million dollars in 169.
“A portion of 116 million dollars of this export was carried out by our Association. Last year, we reached 31 million dollars in thyme, which covers 54 percent of our spice exports in Turkey. In the January-February period of 2023, our spice exports were realized in the band of 28 million dollars. In thyme, we have an export of 8 million dollars in the first two months. We foresee that we will increase our thyme exports to 150 million dollars in the medium term. In 2022, the USA is a critical market where we realize almost half of our thyme exports. The USA is our main market with $22 million in spice exports and $10 million in thyme exports.”
Together we will get stronger
Emphasizing that all of Turkey's thyme exports are from the Aegean, Ege Furniture Paper and Forest Products Exporters' Association Vice Chairman of the Board Nurettin Tarakçıoğlu said, “The Green Agreement regulations that we, as EİB, focus on the most, start with sustainability production. The 'Spice Exporters Group', which we have formed within the EIB with our companies that make the majority of Turkey's spice exports, is an important step both in strengthening our market strategy and in radically solving the problems we will encounter. Thyme, laurel and sage are our value added products. At the same time, we have the largest share in the world in production and export. Almost all of the thyme production in Turkey, which exceeds 20 thousand tons, is exported. With the new thyme plantations, we have the potential to produce 25 thousand tons of thyme in the short term and 40 thousand tons in the medium term.” he said.
Warm contact should be made with the manufacturer.
Muhammet Öztürk, President of the Aegean Cereals, Pulses, Oilseeds Exporters' Association, mentioned that thyme producers should be supported, harvest their products more consciously and efficiently, and trainings should be increased for farmers in order to offer quality and standard production to world markets.
“We need to increase our producer meetings, workshops and trainings, where we will provide warm contact with the producer by explaining the right practices that should be taken into account in the cultivation of thyme plant, and we need to use TV channels, social media and digital channels intensively. In regions where thyme production has been intense for a long time We conduct training activities for our farmers. In order to reach more farmers, we also prepared a video series in cooperation with a thematic TV channel. In this group, which we have formed with the members of our Furniture, Paper and Forest Products Exporters' Association and Cereals, Pulses, Oilseeds Exporters' Association, we will establish contacts with relevant institutions and organizations and share current developments instantly in order to quickly address and solve all the common problems of the sector. ”
We need to create an action plan specific to thyme
President Öztürk said, “The Herbal Production Agriculture-Based Specialized Organized Industrial Zone to be established in Kınık for seed, seedling, medicinal and aromatic plants, is a great advantage for our country in this period of increasing food-related concerns all over the world. We are opening new thyme production areas with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in Denizli, which produces 75% of the world's thyme and 85% of Turkey's. We aim to increase natural thyme production by bringing together the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Producer Organizations, Provincial Directorates of Agriculture, Universities and companies on a common ground by preparing projects focused on sustainable production. We need to create an action plan specific to thyme.” he concluded his speech.