Gazipasa, Antalya, a city located in southern Turkey, exported avocados for the first time this year to Russia, Georgia and Ukraine. The district produces one thousand tons of avocados per year in an area of 250 hectares.
Producers in Gazipasa switched from vegetables to tropical fruits since they are more profitable and easier to grow. Currently, the district grows nearly 30 varieties of tropical fruits in an area of 2500 hectares.
Banana farming was followed by avocado and now continues with lychee, kiwi, longan, passiflora, mango, papaya, dragon fruit, guava, coffee, sapote, feijoa, star fruit, kei apple, sapodilla, pomelo, lime, graviola, goji berry, jackfruit, ambarella, moringa, snake fruit, rose apple and pawpaw.
1 thousand tons per year
Gazipasa district exported avocados this year as well. 250 hectares of avocado gardens yield one thousand tons per year. While harvest takes place in 180 hectares of the orchard, in the remaining 70 hectares farmers plant avocados.
The biggest importer is Russia
Producers in Gazipasa sell avocados for 4,5 to 5 Turkish Lira (0,73 to 0,81 Euro) per piece. Avocados are first sorted and processed, then exported mainly to Russia and European countries.
Exporter Fatih Kamil Yilmaz said: "As soon as avocado harvest starts in Gazipasa, the price in the orchard is set to 4,5 Turkish Lira (0,73 Euro) per piece. We began exporting to European countries. We export to Bulgaria, Romania, Russia, Ukraine and Hungary. As the harvest speeds up, we plan to increase exports. Gazipasa has exported avocados for two years now. Last year, we exported 1 million avocados. This year we aim to export 1,5 million pieces. In the coming years we aim to export 5 million avocados."
Source: DHA (Yucel Bulut)
