According to Uludag Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters Association (UYMSIB) chairman Arif Guney, there is no product like the Bursa black fig, “The French both grow figs and buy them from us. Italy and France also grow them, but their first choice is still the Bursa black.”
UYMSIB chairman Guney said in a statement that due to a fall in yield, the export figure is around 15,000 tons of product.
Guney states that the buying price from growers is a record €1.52, and the fig is a successful product for growers every year.
Last year 18,000 tons of the product was exported, this decreased by 3,000 tons this year but in the coming year, if positive weather conditions prevail, Guney believes exports will exceed 20,000 tons, “A large quantity of Bursa black figs are sent to the EU especially.”
Consumers’ favourite fig
Guney draws attention to the benefit of Bursa black fig exports for Turkey:
“No other product resembles the Bursa black fig, it has a long shelf life, is hardy and the consumers’ most preferred fig. We are very dominant in the market. Especially on the British market. Israel harvests before us and starts to export to the EU, The moment that the harvest and exports of the Bursa black start, the figs are sent to the EU, to England especially and no more product is bought from Israel.”
Guney explains that although Israel also has a good range of figs, it is difficult for them to compete with the Bursa black and this is due to Bursa’s unique microclimate. Even in another region of Turkey the same quality figs cannot be produced, which means that there is no country that can compete with the unique Bursa black fig.
