Turkey’s mandarin exports set new record at $615 million
Turkey’s mandarin exports reached 615 million dollars in the first 11 months of 2025, marking a record performance driven by strong demand from Russia and Iraq.
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WISE NEWS PRESS / IZMIR, TURKEY — 24 DECEMBER 2025
Turkey’s mandarin exports reached 615 million dollars in the first eleven months of 2025, setting a new record for the fresh fruit sector and strengthening the product’s position as the country’s top fresh produce export.
The record performance, led by strong demand from Russia and an unprecedented surge in shipments to Iraq, highlights the sector’s rapid growth and its rising share in agricultural foreign trade, according to Ege Exporters’ Association officials.
Record growth and export momentum
Hayrettin Uçak, Deputy Coordinator Chair of the Aegean Exporters’ Associations and Chair of the Aegean Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters’ Association, said mandarin exports rose from 381 million dollars in January–November 2024 to 615 million dollars in the same period of 2025, an increase of 61 percent.
“We are writing history in mandarin exports in 2025,” Uçak said, noting that exports have more than doubled compared to 2015. “We broke the previous record of 575 million dollars, set in 2023, within the first 11 months of this year. With December shipments, we expect to reach 750–800 million dollars. Our next goal is to exceed one billion dollars annually from 2026 onward.”
In volume terms, exports rose 18 percent, increasing from 583,000 tons to 690,000 tons. Uçak added that around 32 percent of Turkey’s 2.13-million-ton mandarin harvest in 2025 has already been exported, and this ratio is expected to reach 35–40 percent by year-end.
Russia remains top buyer, Iraq drives record surge
Russia maintained its position as Turkey’s largest market for mandarins. Exports to the country increased from 190 million dollars in 2024 to 239 million dollars in 2025, up 39 percent.
Iraq recorded the most striking growth. Shipments rose from 40 million dollars in 2024 to 203 million dollars in January–November 2025 — a 406-percent increase, pushing Iraq past Ukraine to become the second-largest destination.
Ukraine ranked third with 48 million dollars in imports, compared with 45 million dollars a year earlier.
Mandarin leads Turkey’s fresh produce exports
Mandarin remained the undisputed leader among Turkey’s fresh fruit and vegetable exports in 2025. During the first eleven months of the year, mandarin exports totaled 615 million dollars, followed by tomatoes at 348 million dollars and lemons at 336 million dollars.
Ten-year export trend
2015 — 298 million USD
2016 — 312 million USD
2017 — 351 million USD
2018 — 311 million USD
2019 — 347 million USD
2020 — 437 million USD
2021 — 453 million USD
2022 — 463 million USD
2023 — 575 million USD
2024 — 475 million USD
2025 — 615 million USD*
*2025 data cover the first 11 months.
