Iraqis savor beer from Turkey as locals like English whiskey

ANKARA - Anatolia News Agency

Iraq has become Turkey’s largest export market for beer, according to official figures. DHA photo

Iraqis love an ice cold Turkish beer and Turks enjoy sipping a glass of English whiskey, according to a report from the Turkish Undersecretariat of Foreign Trade (DTM) titled “2011 Alcohol and Alcohol-free beverage Sector Report.”

The report, which looked at Turkey’s alcohol exports and imports, highlighted that nearly 40 percent of Turkey’s beer exports in 2010 went to Iraq. Iraq accounted for approximately $27.5 million of Turkey’s $68.4 million in beer exports that year. In 2008 Turkey exported $21.1 million in alcoholic beverages to Iraq and $27.3 million in 2009. Iraq has become Turkey’s largest alcohol export market since the United Nations lifted its embargo on Iraq in 2002.

In terms of beer exports, Northern Cyprus came next followed by Azerbaijan and the United Arab Emirates. Lebanon, Canada, Uganda and Bahrain also comprised a large chunk of Turkey’s beer exports.
On the flip side, however, English whiskey made up the bulk of Turkey’s alcohol imports from abroad. Last year Turkey imported $21.4 million of whiskey and more than half of which was from England. The United States came next with $7.8 million in whiskey imports.

Wine was Turkey’s second most imported alcoholic beverage. Turkey imported wine primarily from France, Italy and Chile, according to the report.