Türkiye Potato Production is Anticipated to Increase Significantly in 2023
Türkiye, one of the top 15 potato exporters in the world, is predicted to grow its production significantly this year. Türkiye imported 28,500 tons of seed potatoes in the first four months of 2023, setting a new historical record. This is 91% larger than the volume of spud seed imports in 2022.
79% of the seed potato supply, in terms of volume, came from the Netherlands, according to EastFruit experts. Additional seed tubers were imported from the UK at 7%, France at 6%, Germany at 4%, and Belgium at 2%.
“The sharp increase in potato production in Türkiye is a reaction to high table potato prices in the region and on the local market. In particular, under the influence of the rapid growth of domestic potato prices, the Turkish government banned its exports in early 2023. […] As a result, in January-April 2023, potato exports from Turkey amounted to only less than 13,000 tons, while a year earlier, 113,000 tons were exported over the same period,” the analysis reveals.
Türkiye set a record for its potato exports in 2021 with 265,000 tons shipped out. Syria, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Qatar, Oman, and Turkmenistan are the primary markets for Turkish potatoes.
The EastFruit researchers forecast a large drop in the price of this commodity in 2023 due to Türkiye’s potential for very high potato output. Consequently, it is expected that the geographic scope of exports will greatly increase. The pressure from low-cost Turkish imports could be even stronger than usual during the new season, which is bad news for Georgia’s potato farmers.
On the other side, Uzbek importers of potatoes may see this as an excellent chance to diversify their purchases. Even though Uzbekistan is one of the biggest potato importers in the world, it has never brought in a sizable amount of potatoes from Türkiye.
“We should also note that the recent devaluation of the Turkish lira should contribute to good prospects of the potato exports from Turkey,” the experts summed up.