Türkiye exported 4.2 million tons of fresh fruit and vegetables in 2024 and 2.5 million tons in 2025, with returned shipments accounting for 0.1 per cent of total exports, according to Agriculture and Forestry Minister İbrahim Yumaklı.
The minister provided the figures in response to a parliamentary question from an opposition lawmaker. Yumaklı stated that any exported products re-entering the country are subject to official inspections to verify compliance with plant health and food and feed safety requirements. Products found to be non-compliant are not permitted to re-enter Türkiye.
He said that additional measures have been introduced to strengthen controls on returned exports. "Türkiye exports 2,218 types of products to 186 countries," Yumaklı said, referring to the breadth of the country's agricultural trade.
Yumaklı outlined several reasons why export consignments may be returned. These include commercial disagreements between exporters and buyers over price, delivery timing, or quality; deterioration of products linked to unsuitable or extended transport conditions; documentation deficiencies identified by importing country authorities; and regulatory issues related to food or plant health.
He noted that returned shipments are reviewed within the framework of existing inspection and control systems. According to the minister, the proportion of returned consignments remains low when measured against total export volumes.
Türkiye's fresh produce export program continues to involve phytosanitary inspections and food safety controls at both the export and re-entry stages. Returned products are assessed to determine whether they meet domestic regulatory standards before any further action is taken.
The ministry said the current figures reflect the overall performance of Türkiye's export controls and inspection systems across fresh fruit and vegetable supply chains.
Source: Daily News
