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Mehmet Güler, Aegean Finest, on the export of Turkish organic satsumas to Germany

"As buyers on the European export market, the focus lies on wholesalers, catering suppliers and supermarkets"

Turkey is known for its abundant variety of domestically grown fruits. Many products, including pomegranates, grapes, apricots and figs, are already exported in large quantities to Germany and Western Europe. In the highly competitive organic market, Turkish organic fruits, such as satsumas, still play a modest role. But this is soon to change, Mehmet Güler of the export company Aegean Finest tells us.

Satsumas from the Izmir Gümüldür region are known for their sweet flavors that resemble vanilla, Güler said. "The export period of our satsumas from Gümüldür are between Oct. 20 to Jan. 15 every year, and producers are more satisfied with this year's harvest than previous years as they have gained more and more support from the city and are encouraged to get to GlobalGAP standard. The total volume this year is 100,000 - 120,000 tons. The city actively supports growers with bio-fertilizers, including targeted distribution of certain insect species to prevent pest control naturally."

Izmir grows mandarins of the Akitsu, Mihavaze, Dobashi Beni, Primasol and W.Murcott varieties, and these are mostly harvested traditionally by hand. There are four caliber sizes in total, ranging from 55mm-77mm. Wholesalers, catering suppliers and supermarkets are the focus as buyers in the European export market, Güler continues. "As we as a region want to move away from conventional agriculture and operate more in harmony with nature to come up to the organic standards of Europe, we are striving to continue to develop in this direction in an ever more targeted manner. This project is actively supported and desired by the mayor of Izmir city, Tunc Soyer and the mayor of Menderes village, Erkan Özkan."

Cultivation of exotics
Apart from olive oil, Izmir's agriculture also offers an abundant number of popular orange varieties, Washington as an early crop and Valencia as a late crop, as well as lemons. In addition to citrus fruits, the region has a very large supply of peaches, nectarines, apples, fresh figs and dried figs, as well as sweet chestnuts. "Even exotic fruits, such as avocados, have now been increasingly planted in tangerine orchards to escape the monoculture in the fields. The village of Gümüldür alone has harvested 24 tons of Hass avocados this year, ready for export. In the coming years, this is expected to increase steadily, furthermore, the exotic repertoire will be expanded with Kent mangoes."

Izmir is also a member of the Cittaslow association, whose main goal is to improve the quality of life in cities, as well as to prevent the standardization of traditional cities.

Supply of German wholesale markets
Aegean Ltd. is specialized in exporting products from Turkey, mainly to Germany. Currently, it exports olive oil, truffles, as well as truffle products, pine nuts and pine honey, fresh fruits and vegetables to wholesale markets in southern Germany. Güler: "The vision that Aegean has is to break existing prejudices and promote direct trade. So far, products such as olive oil and truffles have been resold mainly to countries such as Italy, Greece and Bulgaria, where they are eventually relabeled and enter the German market as their goods, among others, this of course affects the price and quality of the products. In the coming years, projects are planned to integrate end consumers and traders, as well as gourmet and eco-tourists during the harvest, to demonstrate the natural and sustainable harvest and gain awareness of the products and their production."

Images: Aegean Finest 

For more information:
Mehmet Güler
Aegean Finest
Tel.: 015750177038
[email protected]