In Turkey, banana production increased by + 32.8% in volume

The volume of banana imports into Turkey is decreasing thanks to growing domestic production. In 2020 Turkish production increased by 32.8% in volume and the country could be self-sufficient in bananas by 2023.

 

 

 

According to official data, Turkish banana production reached 728,133 tonnes in 2020. An increase of + 32.8% compared to 550,000 tonnes produced in 2019, and + 45.6% compared to 500,000 tonnes produced in 2018.

 

 

 

The Ministry of Agriculture and various horticultural research institutes have carried out nearly twenty projects to increase the yield and quality of banana production. Already 3 out of 4 bananas consumed in Turkey come from national production. This growing production should make it possible to stop banana imports from 2023.

 

 

 

Turkey has been producing bananas since the 1st half of the 20th century, although the country is outside the tropical and subtropical climatic zones. Bananas are cultivated along the Mediterranean coast mainly in the regions of Mersin and Antalya. Cultivation was exclusively open field until the 1990s. After that date protected crops were introduced and now the majority of bananas are grown in greenhouses and plastic tunnels.