Turkey’s egg exports slump
Güncelleme Tarihi:
by Mete Tamer Ömür - Referans
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Temmuz 03, 2009 00:00
İZMİR - Turkish egg producers are enduring tough times due to northern Iraq’s decision to produce its own eggs. In a move to support its own producers, Northern Iraq has now banned Turkish eggs.
Some 90 percent of Turkey’s egg exports involve northern Iraq, said Derya Pala, chairwoman of the Turkish Egg Producers Association. "When northern Iraq banned Turkish eggs, we started to go through a tough time through Syria. This decision has caused a 50 percent drop in our egg exports in the last month," she said.
Turkish egg producers previously traveled through Habur Border Gate, said Pala. "However, that is not the case anymore. We have to manage our trades with Iraq via Syria due to the ban in northern Iraq. Transport via Syria costs us extra. Additional taxes also weigh us down," she said. "This route also has some serious security issues."
Previously, Turkey sent 80 tractor-trailers to Iraq prior to the ban. Last month that figure declined 50 percent to 40 tractor-trailers, Pala said. "Via the Foreign Trade Ministry, we will visit Iraq and talk about direct exports to Baghdad."
Domestic market
Turkey has failed to manage its egg production operations, according to İsmail Kor of the İzmir Mercantile Exchange.
"The ban implemented by northern Iraq did not only impact exports. It has also caused egg prices to plummet in the domestic market. Egg prices in the local market have declined 25 percent. We used to sell an egg for 25 kuruş, but now it’s 10 kuruş," he said.
The exports of Afyon Yumurta, an egg production company, to Iraq totaled $1.9 million in April. "That figure declined to $1.1 million in May, only to drop further to $650,000 in June," said Cahit Pekin, chairman of the company.
Turkish egg producers previously traveled through Habur Border Gate, said Pala. "However, that is not the case anymore. We have to manage our trades with Iraq via Syria due to the ban in northern Iraq. Transport via Syria costs us extra. Additional taxes also weigh us down," she said. "This route also has some serious security issues."
Previously, Turkey sent 80 tractor-trailers to Iraq prior to the ban. Last month that figure declined 50 percent to 40 tractor-trailers, Pala said. "Via the Foreign Trade Ministry, we will visit Iraq and talk about direct exports to Baghdad."
Domestic market
Turkey has failed to manage its egg production operations, according to İsmail Kor of the İzmir Mercantile Exchange.
"The ban implemented by northern Iraq did not only impact exports. It has also caused egg prices to plummet in the domestic market. Egg prices in the local market have declined 25 percent. We used to sell an egg for 25 kuruş, but now it’s 10 kuruş," he said.
The exports of Afyon Yumurta, an egg production company, to Iraq totaled $1.9 million in April. "That figure declined to $1.1 million in May, only to drop further to $650,000 in June," said Cahit Pekin, chairman of the company.