Frozen produce sector aims for $200 mln in exports in 2026

BURSA

Türkiye’s frozen food industry is setting its sights on $200 million in exports of frozen fruits and vegetables in 2026, despite production challenges caused by severe frost this year.

Murat Bayizit, founding president of the Turkish Frozen Food Industry Association, said the country’s strong agricultural infrastructure and production capacity continue to support the sector’s growth.

Bayizit emphasized the importance of the European market, noting that the industry has evolved into a major player with around 80 to 85 large factories dominating frozen fruit and vegetable production, while also expanding into functional foods, ready meals, bakery products and seafood. “We are a significant sector both in exports and in the domestic market,” he said.

Reflecting on 2025, Bayizit pointed to the impact of climate-related setbacks, particularly the devastating frost in April that wiped out much of the cherry and apricot harvest.

“Cherry is one of our most important products globally, with an annual production of around 650,000 tons. This year, production was nearly zero, which was a major loss for us,” he explained.

Although exports in 2025 fell short of expectations, Bayizit expressed optimism for the coming year. He highlighted that Türkiye faces no market constraints as long as pricing remains competitive, with Europe as the primary destination and the United States emerging as a promising market, especially for organic and value-added products.

"America is ideal for us both in terms of product diversity and selling high-value goods,” he added.