A RECORD FUTURE IN FLOUR EXPORTS

A RECORD FUTURE IN FLOUR EXPORTS

• 21.10.2017

Eren Günhan Ulusoy, President of Turkish Flour Industrialists' Federation (TUSAF), announced that they expect to break a new flour export record in 2017. Ulusoy said that flour exports peaked in the last 5 years.

Turkish Flour Industrialists' Federation (TUSAF) President Eren Günhan Ulusoy stated that they exported 2 million 302 thousand tons of flour in the first 8 months of this year, with an increase of 3 percent compared to the same period of 2016.

"Our year-end target is to export 3 million 675 thousand tons of flour with an increase of 5 percent. In other words, we will break a new export record in 2017," he said. In his statement, Ulusoy noted that Turkey's flour exports have increased very rapidly since the beginning of the 2000s, and that this has peaked in the last 5 years.

Expressing that Turkey has been the champion of world flour export for five years, Turkish Flour Industrialists' Federation (TUSAF) and Ulusoy Un Board Chairman Eren Günhan Ulusoy stated that wheat has been imported to export flour especially in recent years.

Expressing that Turkey's long-term wheat production average is sufficient for him, Ulusoy informed that 19 million tons of wheat is consumed annually in the country, 22.5 million tons of wheat was produced in 2015 and 20.5 million tons in 2016. Eren Günhan Ulusoy explained that the flour export, which was 253 thousand tons in 2002, increased 14 times to 3.5 million tons in 15 years, and the income from exports increased 22 times from 47 million dollars to 1 billion 80 million dollars.

Expressing that the number of flour exporting countries has reached 160 in the last 10 years, Ulusoy emphasized that 92 percent of the world's population lives in these countries, and that Turkish flour reaches the regions where 9 out of every 10 people in the world are located.

"698 MILLION DOLLARS OF FLOUR WAS EXPORTED IN THE FIRST 8 MONTHS"

Ulusoy, reminding that 3.5 million tons of flour worth 1 billion 80 million dollars was exported last year, said that there was a 3 percent increase in tonnage in the first 8 months of this year compared to the same period of the previous year.

Stating that the 3 percent tonnage increase may be seen as low, Ulusoy said, "However, we achieved an increase of 28 percent last year compared to 2015. We are trying to maintain the increase we achieved in 2017," he said. Ulusoy said, "In the first 8 months, we exported 2 million 302 thousand tons of flour with an increase of 3 percent compared to the same period of the previous year. We obtained an income of 698 million dollars from this export. Last year, these figures were 2 million 220 thousand tons and 693 million dollars. Our tonnage increase more. This income is not that high. Because there is a decrease in unit prices," he said.

"NEW RECORD IN FLOUR EXPORT"

Noting that the African continent's share in the distribution of exports is gradually increasing, Ulusoy emphasized that the figure of Africa, which took a 29 percent share from the general export last year, increased to 35 percent. He underlined that especially the Angolan market is the target market for Flour Industry and that they have achieved a significant increase here, and that there is no market that Turkish flour cannot reach all over the world.

Ulusoy stated that their target this year is 3 million 675 thousand tons of flour export with an increase of 5 percent, and said that when they reach this target, they will have achieved 35 percent of the world market. Emphasizing that this record will not be possible without deepening in 160 countries where they sell flour, Ulusoy said, "In other words, we will break a new export record in 2017. We are working on this issue. The figures for the first 8 months show us that a new record will come."

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