Uludag Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters Association (Uludag Yas Meyve Sebze Ihracatcilari Birligi) (UYMSIB) President Salih Cali hosted Japanese committee. Cherry and lemon exportation to Japan was discussed in details during the visit.
Japanese committee, paying official visits for Turkish cherry, visited Uludag Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters Association (UYMSIB) President Salih Cali in his office. Fusao Kawakami, Technical Adviser of Japan Fumigation
Technology Association, and Nobuhide Hosokawa, General Manager of Japan Fresh Produce Import and Safety Association, visited Salih Cali who denoted that they had been performing studies in order to export cherry to Japan since 2003. Cali pointed out the need of Turkish cherry to be in Japanese market.
Salih Cali gave information about Turkish cherry and claimed that there was a misunderstanding about cherry. “Pests called codling moth and Mediterranean fruit fly are not the hosts of cherry in Turkey and there is said to be a risk; however this is a very difficult situation. Despite the fact; upon Japanese Ministry of Agriculture’s request, studies have been made in three different research institutes for 10 years and without further loss of time exportation permission to Japan must be granted so that Japanese people won’t be devoid of Turkish cherry” said Salih Cali.
Lemon on the line as well
Explaining that studies on lemon are on the final stage Cali reported, “Permission to export grapefruit to Japan was granted in August 2010, This made us happy and for two years Turkey has been exporting grapefruit to Japan. Likewise, studies have been made in lemon in terms of ‘Mediterranean fruit fly’ and positive results have been obtained. Lemon has to receive exportation permission to Japan without losing any further time.”
“Bursa black fig is on the line following cherry”
Salih Cali gave information about Turkey’s agriculture and exportation to the committee and he said that thanks to the climate variation any kind of fruit grew in Turkey except tropical ones. Cali explained that Turkish agriculture sector employs 30 percent of total population and added, “Turkey ranks fourth around the world in fruit and vegetable production. In production of cherry and many other fruits and vegetables, Turkey is among the biggest producers.” Cali shared UYSMIB’s most exported products with Japanese guests, “Our export items consist of cherry, black fig, olive, pomegranate, peach, quince, grape, pear, pepper, scallion, courgette etc. Among these, cherry is in the first place. And Bursa black fig comes second. Subsequent to cherry, I hope we export Bursa black fig as well to Japan” expressed Cali.
