On Wednesday 12th January 2011, a group of manufacturers, exporters, representatives of civil society organisations and government officials all met in the Freeport of Mersin to celebrate the first shipment of grapefruit to Japan by Ozler Tarim.

Since the 1970’s the Japanese government had banned the import of citrus fruit from areas susceptible to Mediterranean fruit fly, but last year, on August 18th 2010, the ban was lifted on grapefruit.

This was due in no small part to the effort that has been made by Ozler to develop trade relations between Japan and Turkey, in the form of trade missions, information seminars and research into legislation, and by bringing together Japanese importers and Turkish exporters.

Present at the ceremony to celebrate the first shipments of grapefruit to Japan on Wednesday 12th January 2011 in the port of Mersin were Governor of Mersin Mr Hasan Basri Guzeloglu, Chairman of the Mediterranean Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Exporters Union, Mr Ali Kavak, UFT Vice President Salih Flower Exports, Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Board Administrator, Mr Kemal Kacmaz, and a large number of exporters and public representatives, including Japanese  Agricultural Quarantine Specialist, Takeyuki Arai.

Speaking at the ceremony, Governor of Mersin Mr Hasan Basri Guzeloglu, stressed the big step forward represented by these first exports and hailed it as a starting point for the development of trade between the Japanese market and Turkey. He thanked the effort made by Ozler, the brokerage firm and all employees involved in opening up this new market.  

The export of grapefruit to Japan has come about as the result of a long study and negotiation which Governor Basri was keen to underline the superior effort made by Ozler and “with a joint effort from everyone, we are happy to reach this success. Fresh fruit and vegetables imported into Japan represent around 60-70$ billion and now that the process has started, we expect the benefits will spread to other Turkish producers, exporters and growers. We will continue to treat the development of this market as a priority. We expect that our products and other products made in Turkey will come to take their rightful place in the world market” he said.

While diversification of Turkeys major export destinations has tended to focus on non-agricultural sectors, Mr Guzeloglu was keen to point out that “strategic and funadamental sectors such as agriculture and food maintain their importance”.

Deputy Director General of Foreign Trade Export Flower Salim, Zafer Caglayan, State Minister,  said that the intensive effort being made to export to Japan had been noted by the Undersecretariat. Efforts are also continuing to improve existing markets.

This shipment shows the importance of fresh exports from Turkey “There is massive potential for Turkey in Japan’s overall imports, and food imports in particular”. Minister Zafer Caglayan together with a team of exporters jointly organised a series of programmes to increase existing markets & to open new markets. This new initiative shows the aims of these programmes begin to be achieved.

Mediterranean Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Exporters Union Chairman Ali Kavak emphasized that Japans annual total imports of fresh fruit and vegetables is close in number to Turkeys annual total export of fresh fruit and vegetables. “Last year Turkey’s exports represented close to 2.2 billion dollars worth of product. Japan imported around 2.5 billion dollars. I believe that the opening up of grapefruit exports will help increase Turkish share of the Japanese market” he said.

Mr.Kavak stated that by exporting grapefruit to Japan, the leading economy in the world, we have opened the doors for the export of many other fresh fruits and vegetables. “By establishing a good marketplace for grapefruit, our new target is to export many other different kinds of fresh fruit and vegetables to Japan, in accordance with Japanese regulations. Not only grapefruit, but also lemons, cherries and other types of fresh fruit and vegetables that Turkey is able to offer.

After his speech, the day was commemorated by the presentation of gifts to the people who had contributed to the successful resumption of grapefruit exports to Japan. These were Japanese Agricultural Quarantine Specialist Takeuki Arai, Marketing Coordinator and Representetive of Ozler Tarim Mr. Ozbek Ozler, Bornova Agricultural Research Institute Dr. Turkan Koclu, Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Sector Board Administrator Mr. Kemal Kaçmaz, DTM Export Governer Mr. Salih Cicek, and Governor of Mersin, Mr. Hasan Basri Guzeloglu.

After the ceremony, the delegation, together with Governer Mr. Guzeloglu, visited the cold rooms where the goods were stored and witnessed the first containers being loaded.

Ozler Tarim is proud to be the first Company in 40 years to export grapefruit to Japan. We thank all our staff and supporters who helped to bring this about. 

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