Cereals, Pulses, Oil Seeds and Products Exporters Association Cereals, Pulses, Oil Seeds and Products Exporters Association was established in 1991. The Association has the statutory objectives of ensuring increased exports, enhancing professional solidarity, regulating the professional activities and relationships of the exporters, finding solutions to their problems and providing guidance to them. The total numbers of members of the Cereals, Pulses, Oil Seeds and Products Exporters Association is almost 1.500. A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF TURKISH CEREALS, PULSES, OIL SEEDS, AND PRODUCTS INDUSTRY AND FOREIGN TRADE Turkish cereals, pulses, oily seeds and products sector, which has great potential and is among the leading growers of cereals and cereal-based products, has a 30% share in total exports of agricultural products. The sector mostly exports wheat flour, vegetable oils, confectionery containing sugar and chocolate, pasta and biscuits. Main export markets are the countries in the Middle East, North Africa and the Commonwealth of Independent Countries and Far East Countries. Wheat has great importance because it is grown in almost all parts of Turkey by a large number of farmers and constitutes the main nutrient for the majority of the population. Cereals are grown on 12 million hectares (50%) of 24 million hectares of arable land in Turkey. The Turkish wheat flour sector has a major position in the world wheat flour export with its high production capacity. Approximately 1.200 wheat flour factories, which are operating in almost every province in Turkey, have the total production capacity around 30 million tons. According to the United Nations statistics, Turkey took first place in global wheat flour export in 2005, 2006 and 2007 and second place in 2008. The convenience to international quality and safety guidelines has made Turkey a top exporter of wheat flour in the world in the period of 2009-2013. Turkey exports nearly 2 million tons wheat flour all over the world. Turkey has been exported the wheat flour to 123 countries up to day and approximately 1.1 people all over the world consume Turkish wheat flour. Quality of pasta produced by the Turkish pasta sector, which is among the most competitive players in the food processing industry, is recognized in international markets. Turkey has a strategic advantage in production of pasta since durum wheat is grown in Turkey. Turkey is among the major producers and exporters of pasta with an annual production capacity of around 1 million tons. Because durum wheat can be produced in our country, Turkey has a strategic advantage. Turkey took 5th place in the world pasta production with 852 thousand tons and the share of production is 6.3%. Biscuit is a product included in the category of flour and products containing flour. With an annual production capacity around 850 thousand tons, the biscuit industry is increasing the varieties and quality of its products while modernizing its technologies as a result of rapid progress it made in recent years. The biscuit sector, which is known to create the highest value added among cereal-based products, especially attracts export-oriented foreign investments. While the export of sweet biscuits and wafers is corresponding to 9% of total sector exports, the major countries in export are Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, Algeria, Palestine, Lebanon, Germany and Romania.
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